[Illustration: HÔTEL NOËL DE MUIRE _Note the curious masonry-work of the first storey, composed of polygonal stones in relief._]
_Behind the Mars Gate is the Place de la République, containing_ a statue by Bartholdi, damaged by shell-fire. _In front of the Gate, take the Rue Henri IV., leading behind the Hôtel-de-Ville, then turn to the left into the Rue de Sedan._ The house at No. 3 was destroyed by shells, except the =Louis XVI. front= with its gracefully carved garlands, which escaped injury.
_Take the Rue du Grenier-à-Sel, on the right, to the_ =Hôtel Noël de Muire=, _on the left, at the corner of the Rue Linguet._
This house consists of the remains of a sort of Henry II. manor with turrets and dormer-windows. The walls, rounded at the corners like those of the Templars, are of brick and dressed stone. The plinth separating the two stories is decorated with carved wreathed foliage. Fret-work and hexagonal points frame the windows, while a broad cornice on consoles carries the roof. Formerly the residence of the lords of Muire, this house was popularly known as the _Maison des Petits Pâtés_, on account of the polygonal shape of the stones in relief. Theodore de Bèze, one of the leaders of the Reformation in France, lived there with his friend, Noël de Muire.
_Take the Rue du Marc, which continues the Rue du Grenier-à-Sel (photo above)._
The =Rue du Marc= was the quarter where the old noble families and the higher _bourgeoisie_ of Rheims lived. It suffered considerably from the bombardments.
At No. 3 is a Henry IV. house, the windows of which are framed with graceful ornamentation (_photo below_).
However, the most remarkable house in the street is undoubtedly the =Hôtel Nicolas le Vergeur= (No. 1), which, unfortunately, was partly destroyed by the shells (_see p. 85_).
[Illustration: HOUSE DATING BACK TO THE REIGN OF HENRI IV. (1589-1610) AT NO. 3 RUE DU MARC]
The interior building, which has a 17th century carriage entrance, offers two fine examples of 15th and 16th century architecture. It is the finest Renaissance structure in Rheims. The main front, incomparably the most graceful, was but little damaged by the bombardments (_photo below_).
On the ground-floor the great arched doorway is divided by a wooden post into two delicately carved compartments. Pilasters decorated with heads, flowers, birds, and horns of plenty frame the three stone-mullioned windows. Above these runs a frieze of trophies and medallions, with portraits of noble lords with upturned moustaches and pointed beards, and of great ladies with _collerettes_ and high head-dresses, gracious or haughty, standing well out in relief.