A few words about Metz

Francois Rabelais relates the legend of Graouille, the dragon of Metz who inhabited the remains of the Roman amphitheater until St. Clement arrived to christianize the city. He tied the dragon and led him to the river Seille where the dragon disappeared forever.

Metz is the city of legends, of Merovingian kings, of the famous Queen Brunhilda, of fine churches and meticulously trimmed gardens, and the birthplace of Paul Verlaine. Capital of the Lorraine region, it lies at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille in north-eastern France. Its history goes back to Roman times when it was called Divodurum and was one of the principal towns in the province of Gallia. From the 5th century, it came under the Frankish kings and flourished under the Merovingian and the Carolingian dynasties. In the 9th century it became capital of the Kingdom of Lotharingia. turned French in the 16th century, and was fortified by Vauban. The city was annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian war until 1918, and once again during World War II. It was liberated by French and American forces in November 1944.

The city's architectural landmark, the Saint Etienne Cathedral, was built between 1220 and 1520, on the site of a small chapel. It merged two previously existing churches into a Gothic masterpiece. The cathedral's nave is 42 metres high, the third highest in France, and is illuminated by extraordinary 6500 square metres of stained glass windows painted by Marc Chagall.

A number of other cult buildings are also worth a visit. The church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains dates back to the 4th century and is the oldest in France. It was reshaped in the 10th and the 15th century and today houses an art center. The Templar's Chapel is all that has remained of the Templar's commandery. The unusual octagonal building contains beautiful frescoes and stained-glass windows restored in 1906. The 12th-century St. Martin's church is also remarkable for its stained-glass windows by Laurent-Charles Marechal. Its bell tower was pulled down in the 16th century and rebuilt in 1887. The baroque Notre Dame church was originally the chapel of the Jesuit college. It served as headquarters of the Jacobins during the French Revolution. St. Vincent's church (18th c.) is a nice example of the Classical style, with a superposition of three orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

Unfinished by the time of the French Revolution, the bishop's palace was transformed into a market hall, a lively and colorful place to visit. Built between 1738 and 1753, the theatre in Place de la Comedie is the oldest functioning theatre in France. Other impressive buildings are the Governor's Palace, the Prefecture, the Law Court, the Neo-Romanesque railway station, the Arsenal (now functioning as an exhibition and concert hall). The houses in Place St. Louis were erected on the foundations of the Roman ramparts. Built between the 13th and the 15th century, the square housed trade fairs and religious theatre plays. The German Gate is a beautiful small castle whose four towers defended the bridge on the Seille.

The Museums of the Cour d'Or contain a Roman collection, the chancel of the St. Pierre-aux-Nonnains - a masterpiece of medieval sculpture from the Merovingian time, a granary, and the remains of Roman baths.

The region of Lorraine is home of the Mirabelle plum: a small, oval, smooth-textured, sweet and flavorful fruit which is equally good fresh and in pies, jams and jellies. It is also used for wine and brandies. Metz hosts an annual festival dedicated to the "golden fruit", involving a procession of flower floats and the election of a Mirabelle queen.