The cryptoporticus of Reims is an underground gallery, a horreum, in the shape of a U at the current place of the Place du Forum in the city center of Reims.
It was certainly the northern part of the Roman forum during
antiquity which must have been 65 m wide by 250 m long; it was built
around the year 100 and mostly ruined during the invasions of the
4th century; its entrance consisted of a monumental staircase (lower
right corner of the plan) and which turned at right angles and thus
passed above an altar for the statue of the emperor (lower right
corner, to the left of the staircase ).
The gallery is divided in
two by stone pillars which have notches serving to accommodate the
wooden structures which delimited boxes and whose stucco walls were
decorated with colored nets and stylized hangings.
The walls are
built in small apparatus and the vault is in semicircular tile
mortar. The north-east wall is blind but its opposite lets in light
through windows reaching level with the ground outside.
Above is
the current Place du Forum, an open-air theater (red on the map) and
is next to the Musée-hôtel Le Vergeur.
Placed at the intersection of the cardo and the Roman decumanus, the forum is the place of ancient economic activity. The urban decline due to the fall of the Roman Empire led to a reduction in its size through disordered urban planning. Its location nevertheless retains the name of forum square, which preserves its memory. When in the 18th century the city sought to rationalize and embellish its town planning, the Place Royale and the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville came to frame it.
In 1922, on the occasion of the desire to build the Central Halls of
Reims, the old covered halls built in 1840 in the market square were
razed. Vestiges being unearthed, the works were interrupted and the room
52 m and 5.70 m high, supported by a row of rectangular central pillars,
alcoves on each side; it appears that part of the structure is under
houses. But they have just been rebuilt after the destruction of the
First World War and we give up excavations in this part.
This
discovery explains, in part, the discovery of columns that had been
previously discovered and also the partial discovery during the
construction of the halls in 1840 by Saint-Saulieu, at that time there
was no decision to launch excavations.
It was listed in 1923, but was not highlighted, practically
abandoned, it only had a grassy terrace and an iron staircase, on May
27, 1932 the square was renamed Place du Forum.
Excavations are only
undertaken by passionate volunteers from the Champagne Archaeological
Society.
In 1982, safeguard work was carried out, consolidation of a
pillar that was sinking (65 cm), restoration of two partly collapsed
vaults which led to the opening to the public in 1983 of the eastern
part.
This monument highlights the place and importance of Reims in Roman times, it received 3,160 visitors in 2002 and serves as a stage for outdoor music events and indoor exhibitions.
