At the confluence of the Moselle and Sale rivers lies a beautiful city in France - Metz, which is a magnificent center of art and museums, a triumph of architecture. Due to its location between the French and German regions, the village has been the subject of endless territorial disputes for many centuries. Today, tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful results of combining different national cultures and traditions.
History of the city
The ancient capital of the Celtic tribe Mediomatrici was called Divodurum, that is, a city from the "sacred mountain." During Roman rule, he quickly became one of the most important in Gaul, primarily due to the export of wines and its strategic position at the crossroads of several military roads. The capital of Lorraine - Metz, like the whole region, was the first in the heart of the Carolingian kingdoms, and then became an integral part of the complex state system of the German Empire. In the XIII century, the city became a free municipality.
The border town of Metz became French in 1648, in accordance with the Treaty of Westphalia. This membership will last until 1871, in which he will be annexed to Germany. The Germans occupied the city because of its industrial importance. Metz returned to France only in 1918, although in the period from 1940 to 1944. he was again occupied by the Germans. And only in 1945, the city of Metz to France (photo above) finally returned.
In the past, the city was a military and industrial center of great strategic importance and, therefore, very attractive to surrounding states. Today, although it remains an important industrial center, it is, above all, a city of extraordinary beauty.
The train station in Metz (France), the photo of which is given below, is one of the places worth seeing. It is considered one of the oldest and most beautiful in the country. Its architecture and facade are unique.
Mets today
Today, the headquarters of numerous metallurgical, petrochemical and automotive companies are located in the capital of Lorraine. If we talk about cultural tourism, the city is not yet one of the visited places in France. But for those tourists who are interested in the historical past of the city and its real life, travel agencies offer a varied program of excursions to the quiet and charming city of France - Metz.
What can I see here? This, of course, the imperial quarter, the Protestant church, the Gothic cathedral, Les Portes de Allemands, the oldest opera house in France, and for lovers of modern art - Center Pompidou.
The start of the tour
The most memorable when visiting the historic center of Metz (France) will be passing through the impressive Port de Allenmans - the gates of the Germans, an amazing example of medieval-style military architecture and evidence of ancient and powerful walls surrounding the entire city territory.
The heart of the city is Piazza d'Armes, a grand venue created in the late eighteenth century. Today it is a pulsating city center. It offers a magnificent view of some of the most famous and important buildings in Metz - sights of France: the Cathedral of Saint-Etienne and the Town Hall.
Staying in the Place d'Armes area, tourists can stroll through the stalls of the famous indoor market for local products, which offers an exceptional opportunity to sample the best of food and wine from the north of France and make purchases. Sellers will certainly offer to try mirabelle, small yellow plums, which make excellent jams, and Paris-Metz dessert, as well as a paste of two tricolor cookies filled with raspberries and mussinelin sauce.
Cathedrals of the city
The city of Metz, being the capital of Lorraine, also had clerical significance as the center of an influential bishopric. The main church here is the Cathedral of St. Stephen (Etienne). The majestic Saint-Etienne Cathedral was built in French Gothic style. Its construction was begun in the fourteenth century and ended in the first half of the fifteenth. Due to the large surface of the stained-glass windows (the largest in France and Europe), the sun's rays passed through polychrome glass form a color show. Because of the beauty of this play of light, the cathedral was nicknamed "Lanterne du Bon Dieu".
In addition to the stained-glass windows, one can admire beautiful Gothic statues in the cathedral, which give lightness to the entire structure of stone walls and dizzy pointed arches that rise more than 40 meters up the central nave.
The city has several more temples that are worth seeing for tourists. They are beautiful in their architecture and have great historical value. These are the temples:
- St. Maximinus (XII-XIX centuries).
- St. Eucharia (XII-XV century).
- St. Segolen (XII-XVII century).
- Reformed Church "New Temple" (XIX century).
Imperial Quarter and Opera House
Moving from Place d'Armes to Place Saint-Louis, tourists have the opportunity to admire the wonderful ancient buildings. This is the so-called imperial quarter. Another excellent example of architecture is the oldest existing opera house in France in Metz. Its construction was completed in 1753. It is located in the Place de la Comédie.
You can also visit the beautiful Protestant church, built in neo-Romanesque style during the reign of Germany in Lorraine. Petit Saulsi is a district of the city that holds the best-ever music and theater festivals in spring and summer.
Museums of the city
The main museum and cultural institution of the capital of Lorraine is the Center Pompidou-Metz, the first decentralized branch of the famous museum and art center in Paris.
Inside it are exhibitions, conferences and cultural events of great national and international importance. The main collection stored here contains nearly 65,000 works of contemporary art. This makes the museum the most important in Lorraine, and the third most important cultural institution in France.
The Museum of La Der d'Or is a concentrate of the entire history of the cities of Metz and Lorraine, which houses a large archaeological collection of Roman times, medieval and Renaissance finds, as well as a gallery of modern art. In the museum’s storerooms there is a magnificent statue of Zeus fighting a monstrous snake, a statue of Charles the Great and Renaissance jewelry of great historical value.
A special museum is the Fort de Queuleu, built in the nineteenth century. Today it is an open-air museum that allows visitors to see what the Metz was like in the past.
Travel Tips
Metz (France) is better to visit in spring, during the flowering of trees. The most unfavorable time to travel here is November and December. At this time, it’s the rainy season and taking walks through the city streets is problematic. If you come to Metz, you should definitely go to some bar or restaurant and taste a drink from the local plum variety Mirabelle. Pouring is the pride of the city. Do not think about whether or not to tip. They are often already included in the bill.
Metz is a city that you need to walk on foot to feel its atmosphere and enjoy its beauty, breathing in the atmosphere that prevails in the streets and squares, markets and fairs.