Metz,is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.
Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place of the European Greater Region and of the SaarLorLux Euroregion. So, Metz is a fellow member of the QuattroPole union of cities, along with Luxembourg City and German Saarbrücken and Trier.
A Celtic oppidum, an important Gallo-Roman city, the Merovingian capital of the Austrasia kingdom, the birthplace of the Carolingian dynasty, a cradle of the Gregorian chant, and one of the oldest republics of the common era in Europe, Metz has a rich 3,000 year history. The city has been steeped in Romance culture, but has been strongly influenced by Germanic culture due to its location and history. A basin of urban ecology, pioneered under the leadership of people like Jean-Marie Pelt, Metz gained its nickname, The Green City, boasting over 37 m2 (398 sq ft) of open ground per inhabitant and the city's historic downtown also displays one of the largest commercial, pedestrian areas in France.
Metz possesses one of the largest urban-conservation area in France covering 162.9 ha (402.53 acres) and more than 100 buildings of the city are classified on the monument historique list.Because of its tremendous historical and cultural background, Metz benefits from its designation as a town of art and history. The city is home to some world-class venues such as the Arsenal concert hall, the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum, and the National Opera of Lorraine (along with Nancy Opera).
A historical Garrison town, Metz is the economic heart of the Lorraine region, being specialized in information technology and automotive industries. Metz is also a centre for applied research and development in the materials sector notably in metallurgy and metallography, the heritage of the Lorraine region's past in the iron and steel industry.
The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a museum of modern and contemporary arts, the largest temporary exhibition area outside Paris in France. The museum features exhibition from the extensive collection of the Pompidou centre (Europe's largest collection of 20th century art). Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and French Jean de Gastine, the building is remarkable for the complex and innovative carpentry of its roof. The museum also includes a theatre, an auditorium, and a restaurant terrace.
The Golden Courtyard museums (French: La Cour d'Or) in reference to the palace of Austrasia's kings, are museums of Metz dedicated to the history of the city. The museums are divided into four sections (history and archeological, medieval, architecture, and fine arts), and incorporate the Gallo-Roman baths, the ancient Petites-Carmes abbey, the former Trinitarian church, and the Chèvremont medieval granary.
The 49Nord-6Est, the Lorraine's exhibition of contemporary art, is located in the Saint-Liver Hôtel, the oldest civic building of the city dating from the 12th century. The municipal archives, located in the Recollets cloisters, preserve and exhibit the historical records of Metz's municipality dating from medieval times to present. The Solange Bertrand foundation conserves and presents the works of the artist and organizes different art exhibitions. The city also boasts several private art galleries.
France's second largest flea market is held once or twice a month in the congress centre of Metz. In addition, many other events are celebrated in Metz throughout the year. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
Pilgrimage of Saint Blaise on 3 February
Funfair in May
Été du Livre, festival of literature in June
Bastille Day on 14 July
Macellum the first week-end of August
Mirabelle festival in August. Every year, the city of Metz dedicates two weeks to the Mirabelle plum. In addition to open markets selling fresh prunes, mirabelle tarts, mirabelle liquor, etc. there is live music, fireworks, parties, art exhibits, a parade with floral floats and competition, and the crowning of the Mirabelle Queen and a gala of celebration
Les Montgolfiades de Metz, Europe's largest hot air balloon festival in September.
European Heritage Days, the third week-end of September
Open de Moselle in September
Nuit Blanche in October
Christmas market in November and December (2nd most popular in France, after Strasbourg)
Saint Nicholas parade in December. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of the Lorraine region.
The legend of the Graoully
The Graoully is depicted as a fearsome dragon, vanquished by the sacred powers of Metz's first bishop, Saint Clement. The Graoully quickly became a symbol of the town of Metz and can be see in numerous insignia of the city, since the 10th century. Authors from Metz tend to present the legend of the Graoully as a symbol of Christianity's victory over paganism, represented by the harmful dragon. Today, the Graoully remains one of the major symbols of Metz. A representation of the Graoully may be seen in the crypt in the cathedral. A semi-permanent sculpture of the Graoully is also suspended in mid-air on Taison street, near the cathedral, and the Graoully is shown on the heraldic emblems of football club and ice hockey team of the city.
The Gare de Metz-Ville is connected to the French high speed train (TGV) network, which provides a direct rail service to Paris and the city of Luxembourg. The time from Paris (Paris East station) to Metz train station is 82 minutes. Additionally Metz is served by the Lorraine TGV train station, located at Louvigny, 25 km (16 mi)to the south of Metz, for high speed trains going to Nantes, Rennes, Lille, or Bordeaux (without stopping in Paris). Also, Metz is one of the main stations of the regional express trains systems named Métrolor. One of the main lines is the Nancy-Metz-Luxembourg line, completed by many lines going to main cities of the area.
Airports
The Luxembourg international airport is the nearest international airport connected to Metz by Métrolor train. Also, Lorraine TGV station is 75 minutes by train from France international Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Finally, Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport is the airport serving the Lorraine region. It is located in the city of Goin, at 16.5 km (10.25 mi) Metz southeast.
Metz is ideally located at the intersection of two major road axes: The Paris to Strasbourg A4 motorway, itself a part of the E50 motorway connecting Paris to Prague, and the A31 motorway, which goes north to Luxembourg and the Mediterranean Sea towards Nancy, Dijon, and Lyon.
Local transportation in the agglomeration is carried out by buses.
Waterways
There is some significant cross border fluvial tourism on the Rhine-Moselle system. Additionally, Metz port is the biggest port handling cereals in France with over 4,000,000 tons/year.
Religious heritage
Saint-Stephen, Gothic cathedral (French: cathédrale Saint-Étienne) built in the 13th century. The cathedral is sometimes nicknamed the Good Lord's lantern (French: la lanterne du Bon Dieu), possessing the largest expanse of stained glass windows in the world (6,500 m2 or 70,000 sq ft). The stained glass windows include works by Hermann von Münster (14th C); Théobald of Lixheim and Valentin Bousch (16th C); Laurent-Charles Maréchal (19th C); Roger Bissière, Jacques Villon and Marc Chagall (20th C). Moreover, the cathedral possesses the third highest nave in France (41.41 m – 136 ft).
Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica, the oldest church in France built between 380 and 395 AD as a Roman gymnasium, was converted into a Christian basilica in the 7th century. The basilica is one of the birthplaces of the Roman Messin chant later called Gregorian chant.
Saint-Maximin church, built between 12th–15th century, features stained glass windows of Jean Cocteau. Here, theologian Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet delivered eulogies and Paul Verlaine was baptized.
Notre-Dame-de-Metz church built during the 18th century in the Jesuit style and once part of a Jesuit complex. The church displays stained glass windows of Laurent-Charles Maréchal (19th C).
Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus church (20th C) displays stained glass windows of Nicolas Untersteller. The building has a thin-shell structure designed by architect Roger-Henri Expert, and possesses a spire in the form of a pilgrim's staff of 70 m (229.64 ft) high.
Sainte-Ségolène church (13th C).
Saint-Martin church (12th C, Laurent-Charles Maréchal's stained glass windows).
Saint-Pierre-de-la-Citadelle church.
Saint-Euchaire church.
Saint-Clément church (17th C, now regional council of Lorraine).
Saint-Vincent abbey (10th C)
Recollets cloisters (14th C), housing today the municipal archives and the European Institute of Ecology
Trinitarian Order cloisters (13th C), today a multi-media arts complex which promotes jazz music.
Chapel of the Knights Templar (13th C), built in Romanesque style and once part of the commandry of the Knights Templar. The chapel features important murals.
Protestant Temple Neuf (New Church)(1901–1904), neo-Romanesque church, built during the German annexation by German architect Conrad Wahn
Protestant church of the German Garrison (1875–1881), neo-Gothic church. Only the bell tower has survived as the church was partially destroyed by Allied bombing during the Second World War.
Synagogue (1848–1850) built in neo-Romanesque style
Christian necropolis from the 19th century
Jewish Cemetery of Metz-Chambière
Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place of the European Greater Region and of the SaarLorLux Euroregion. So, Metz is a fellow member of the QuattroPole union of cities, along with Luxembourg City and German Saarbrücken and Trier.
A Celtic oppidum, an important Gallo-Roman city, the Merovingian capital of the Austrasia kingdom, the birthplace of the Carolingian dynasty, a cradle of the Gregorian chant, and one of the oldest republics of the common era in Europe, Metz has a rich 3,000 year history. The city has been steeped in Romance culture, but has been strongly influenced by Germanic culture due to its location and history. A basin of urban ecology, pioneered under the leadership of people like Jean-Marie Pelt, Metz gained its nickname, The Green City, boasting over 37 m2 (398 sq ft) of open ground per inhabitant and the city's historic downtown also displays one of the largest commercial, pedestrian areas in France.
Metz possesses one of the largest urban-conservation area in France covering 162.9 ha (402.53 acres) and more than 100 buildings of the city are classified on the monument historique list.Because of its tremendous historical and cultural background, Metz benefits from its designation as a town of art and history. The city is home to some world-class venues such as the Arsenal concert hall, the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum, and the National Opera of Lorraine (along with Nancy Opera).
A historical Garrison town, Metz is the economic heart of the Lorraine region, being specialized in information technology and automotive industries. Metz is also a centre for applied research and development in the materials sector notably in metallurgy and metallography, the heritage of the Lorraine region's past in the iron and steel industry.
The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a museum of modern and contemporary arts, the largest temporary exhibition area outside Paris in France. The museum features exhibition from the extensive collection of the Pompidou centre (Europe's largest collection of 20th century art). Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and French Jean de Gastine, the building is remarkable for the complex and innovative carpentry of its roof. The museum also includes a theatre, an auditorium, and a restaurant terrace.
The Golden Courtyard museums (French: La Cour d'Or) in reference to the palace of Austrasia's kings, are museums of Metz dedicated to the history of the city. The museums are divided into four sections (history and archeological, medieval, architecture, and fine arts), and incorporate the Gallo-Roman baths, the ancient Petites-Carmes abbey, the former Trinitarian church, and the Chèvremont medieval granary.
The 49Nord-6Est, the Lorraine's exhibition of contemporary art, is located in the Saint-Liver Hôtel, the oldest civic building of the city dating from the 12th century. The municipal archives, located in the Recollets cloisters, preserve and exhibit the historical records of Metz's municipality dating from medieval times to present. The Solange Bertrand foundation conserves and presents the works of the artist and organizes different art exhibitions. The city also boasts several private art galleries.
France's second largest flea market is held once or twice a month in the congress centre of Metz. In addition, many other events are celebrated in Metz throughout the year. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
Pilgrimage of Saint Blaise on 3 February
Funfair in May
Été du Livre, festival of literature in June
Bastille Day on 14 July
Macellum the first week-end of August
Mirabelle festival in August. Every year, the city of Metz dedicates two weeks to the Mirabelle plum. In addition to open markets selling fresh prunes, mirabelle tarts, mirabelle liquor, etc. there is live music, fireworks, parties, art exhibits, a parade with floral floats and competition, and the crowning of the Mirabelle Queen and a gala of celebration
Les Montgolfiades de Metz, Europe's largest hot air balloon festival in September.
European Heritage Days, the third week-end of September
Open de Moselle in September
Nuit Blanche in October
Christmas market in November and December (2nd most popular in France, after Strasbourg)
Saint Nicholas parade in December. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of the Lorraine region.
The legend of the Graoully
The Graoully is depicted as a fearsome dragon, vanquished by the sacred powers of Metz's first bishop, Saint Clement. The Graoully quickly became a symbol of the town of Metz and can be see in numerous insignia of the city, since the 10th century. Authors from Metz tend to present the legend of the Graoully as a symbol of Christianity's victory over paganism, represented by the harmful dragon. Today, the Graoully remains one of the major symbols of Metz. A representation of the Graoully may be seen in the crypt in the cathedral. A semi-permanent sculpture of the Graoully is also suspended in mid-air on Taison street, near the cathedral, and the Graoully is shown on the heraldic emblems of football club and ice hockey team of the city.
The Gare de Metz-Ville is connected to the French high speed train (TGV) network, which provides a direct rail service to Paris and the city of Luxembourg. The time from Paris (Paris East station) to Metz train station is 82 minutes. Additionally Metz is served by the Lorraine TGV train station, located at Louvigny, 25 km (16 mi)to the south of Metz, for high speed trains going to Nantes, Rennes, Lille, or Bordeaux (without stopping in Paris). Also, Metz is one of the main stations of the regional express trains systems named Métrolor. One of the main lines is the Nancy-Metz-Luxembourg line, completed by many lines going to main cities of the area.
Airports
The Luxembourg international airport is the nearest international airport connected to Metz by Métrolor train. Also, Lorraine TGV station is 75 minutes by train from France international Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Finally, Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport is the airport serving the Lorraine region. It is located in the city of Goin, at 16.5 km (10.25 mi) Metz southeast.
Metz is ideally located at the intersection of two major road axes: The Paris to Strasbourg A4 motorway, itself a part of the E50 motorway connecting Paris to Prague, and the A31 motorway, which goes north to Luxembourg and the Mediterranean Sea towards Nancy, Dijon, and Lyon.
Local transportation in the agglomeration is carried out by buses.
Waterways
There is some significant cross border fluvial tourism on the Rhine-Moselle system. Additionally, Metz port is the biggest port handling cereals in France with over 4,000,000 tons/year.
Religious heritage
Saint-Stephen, Gothic cathedral (French: cathédrale Saint-Étienne) built in the 13th century. The cathedral is sometimes nicknamed the Good Lord's lantern (French: la lanterne du Bon Dieu), possessing the largest expanse of stained glass windows in the world (6,500 m2 or 70,000 sq ft). The stained glass windows include works by Hermann von Münster (14th C); Théobald of Lixheim and Valentin Bousch (16th C); Laurent-Charles Maréchal (19th C); Roger Bissière, Jacques Villon and Marc Chagall (20th C). Moreover, the cathedral possesses the third highest nave in France (41.41 m – 136 ft).
Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica, the oldest church in France built between 380 and 395 AD as a Roman gymnasium, was converted into a Christian basilica in the 7th century. The basilica is one of the birthplaces of the Roman Messin chant later called Gregorian chant.
Saint-Maximin church, built between 12th–15th century, features stained glass windows of Jean Cocteau. Here, theologian Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet delivered eulogies and Paul Verlaine was baptized.
Notre-Dame-de-Metz church built during the 18th century in the Jesuit style and once part of a Jesuit complex. The church displays stained glass windows of Laurent-Charles Maréchal (19th C).
Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus church (20th C) displays stained glass windows of Nicolas Untersteller. The building has a thin-shell structure designed by architect Roger-Henri Expert, and possesses a spire in the form of a pilgrim's staff of 70 m (229.64 ft) high.
Sainte-Ségolène church (13th C).
Saint-Martin church (12th C, Laurent-Charles Maréchal's stained glass windows).
Saint-Pierre-de-la-Citadelle church.
Saint-Euchaire church.
Saint-Clément church (17th C, now regional council of Lorraine).
Saint-Vincent abbey (10th C)
Recollets cloisters (14th C), housing today the municipal archives and the European Institute of Ecology
Trinitarian Order cloisters (13th C), today a multi-media arts complex which promotes jazz music.
Chapel of the Knights Templar (13th C), built in Romanesque style and once part of the commandry of the Knights Templar. The chapel features important murals.
Protestant Temple Neuf (New Church)(1901–1904), neo-Romanesque church, built during the German annexation by German architect Conrad Wahn
Protestant church of the German Garrison (1875–1881), neo-Gothic church. Only the bell tower has survived as the church was partially destroyed by Allied bombing during the Second World War.
Synagogue (1848–1850) built in neo-Romanesque style
Christian necropolis from the 19th century
Jewish Cemetery of Metz-Chambière
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