Metz, places to visit?

The city of light

A city steeped in three thousand years of history, dominated by the majestic gothic cathedral of Saint-Etienne, to be admired by day for its urban fabric and many examples of art and architecture, and absolutely not to be missed by night, when it is illuminated by more than thirteen thousand lights transforming it into the “ville lumière”.

This is Metz, a city that was enlarged during the Roman and Middle Ages, passed from the French monarchy to the German empire for almost half a century, who made it a genuine fortress, and returned to France only in 1918. The city is crossed by the river Moselle and offers the visitor a rich heritage of monuments.

The cathedral of Saint-Etienne, with a nave height of nearly 42 metres (the third in France after Paris Beauvais and Amiens), is the starting and arrival point of every sightseeing tour. The “Tour de Mutte”, the bell tower alongside the cathedral, offers a panoramic view of 360 degrees, and the elegant collection of stained glass windows, including one designed by Marc Chagall, filters light into the building, filling it with an atmosphere of intense emotion.

A short distance away is the Esplanade, a promenade with terrace offering beautiful views over the river to the basilica of Saint Pierre aux Nonnains, the oldest church in France; the Chapel of the Knights Templar, the only church in Lorraine with an octagonal plan; the Arsenale, a centre of music inaugurated in 1989 with exceptional acoustics, and the Palace of Justice, built by Louis XVI, in front of which stands the birthplace of the poet Paul Verlaine.

The historic centre begins in Place Saint-Louis and continues towards the Moselle, where the city can be seen reflected in the water and a marvellous view can be enjoyed from the Moyen bridge. The two riverbanks are lined with old religious and civil buildings.

The imperial quarter in Metz, built entirely of pink or grey sandstone and standing on a large amphitheatre, is testament to the period of German domination. The architecture of the station in Metz is particularly unusual and resembles a church. The Museums in the “Cour d’Or” (golden court) house examples of Metz’s past, from its Gallic origins to ancient Rome, to the high Middle Ages.

Text by Federica Fusco

Updated by Alisè Vitri

Avion Tourism Magazine
Photos: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock

Video: www.tourisme-metz.com