Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
located at the confluence of the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
and the
Seille rivers. Metz is the
prefecture
A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...
of the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
department and the seat of the parliament of the
Grand Est
Grand Est (; ) is an Regions of France, administrative region in northeastern France. It superseded three former administrative regions, Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine, on 1 January 2016 under the provisional name of Alsace-Champagne-A ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
. Located near the
tripoint
A triple border, tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geography, geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or Administrative division, subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints ...
along the junction of France,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
,
[Says J.M. (2010) La Moselle, une rivière européenne. Eds. Serpenoise. ] the city forms a central part of the European
Greater Region and the
SaarLorLux euroregion
In European politics, the term Euroregion usually refers to a transnational co-operation structure between two (or more) contiguous territories located in different European countries. Euroregions represent a specific type of cross-border regio ...
.
Metz has a rich 3,000-year history,
[Bour R. (2007) Histoire de Metz, nouvelle édition. Eds. Serpenoise. ] having variously been a
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
''
oppidum
An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...
'', an important
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
city,
[Vigneron B. (1986) Metz antique: Divodurum Mediomatricorum. Eds. Maisonneuve. ] the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...
capital of
Austrasia
Austrasia was the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Francia, Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages, centring on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers. It included the original Frankish-ruled territories within what had ...
,
[Huguenin A. (2011) Histoire du royaume mérovingien d'Austrasie. Eds. des Paraiges. pp. 134,275 ] the birthplace of the
Carolingian dynasty
The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Franks, Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Pippinids, Arnulfi ...
,
[Settipani C. (1989) Les ancêtres de Charlemagne. Ed. Société atlantique d'impression. pp. 3–49 ] a cradle of the
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainsong, plainchant, a form of monophony, monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek language, Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed main ...
,
[Demollière C.J. (2004) ''L'art du chantre carolingien.'' Eds. Serpenoise. ] and one of the oldest
republics
A republic, based on the Latin phrase '' res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a state in which political power rests with the public (people), typically through their representatives—in contrast to a monarchy. Although ...
in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
.
[Roemer F. (2007) ''Les institutions de la République messine.'' Eds. Serpenoise. ] The city has been steeped in
French culture, but has been strongly influenced by
German culture
The culture of Germany has been shaped by its central position in Europe and a history spanning over a millennium. Characterized by significant contributions to art, music, philosophy, science, and technology, German culture is both diverse and ...
due to its location and history.
Because of its historical, cultural and architectural background, Metz has been submitted on France's
UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The city features noteworthy buildings such as the
Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral with its largest expanse of stained-glass windows in the world,
[Collectif (2009) Monumental 2009 – semestriel 1. Coll. Monumental. Eds. Guides archeologiques de la France. ] the
Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains being the oldest church in France,
[Delestre X. (1988) Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains (Metz – Moselle): de l'époque romaine à l'époque gothique. Eds. Guides archeologiques de la France. ] its
Imperial Station Palace displaying the apartment of the German
Kaiser
Kaiser ( ; ) is the title historically used by German and Austrian emperors. In German, the title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (). In English, the word ''kaiser'' is mainly applied to the emperors ...
,
[Schontz A. (2008) ''La gare de Metz.'' Eds. Serpenoise. ] or its
Opera House
An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...
, the oldest one working in France.
[Masson G. (2002) ''L'Opéra-théâtre de Metz.'' Ed. Klopp, Gerard. ] Metz is home to some world-class venues including the
Arsenal Concert Hall and the
Centre Pompidou-Metz museum.
A basin of
urban ecology,
[Pelt J.M. (1977) ''L'Homme re-naturé.'' Eds. Seuil. ] Metz gained its nickname of
The Green City (), as it has extensive open grounds and public gardens.
The historic city centre is one of the largest commercial pedestrian areas in France.
A historic
garrison
A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters.
A garrison is usually in a city ...
town, Metz is the economic heart of the
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
region, specialising in
information technology
Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...
and
automotive industries. Metz is home to the
University of Lorraine,
Georgia Tech Europe, and a centre for applied research and development in the materials sector, notably in
metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys.
Metallurgy encompasses both the ...
and
metallography
Metallography is the study of the physical structure and components of metals, by using microscopy.
Ceramic and polymeric materials may also be prepared using metallographic techniques, hence the terms ceramography, plastography and, collecti ...
, the heritage of the Lorraine region's past in the iron and steel industry.
Etymology
In ancient times, the town was known as "city of
Mediomatrici
The Mediomatrici (Gaulish: ''*Medio-māteres'') were according to Caesar a Gaulish tribe at the frontier to the Belgicae dwelling in the present-day regions Lorraine, Upper Moselle during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are ...
", being inhabited by the tribe of the same name.
[Martin P. (2010) ''Metz, 2000 years of history.'' Eds. Serpenoise. pp. 8–9] After its integration into the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
, the city was called ''Divodurum Mediomatricum'', meaning Holy Village or Holy Fortress of the Mediomatrici, then it was known as ''Mediomatrix''.
During the 5th century AD, the name evolved to "Mettis", which gave rise to the current spelling, Metz,
but also spellings such as ''Mès'', which are no longer used, but reflect its actual pronunciation in French (like "mess").
[.]
History

Metz has a recorded history dating back over 2,000 years. Before the
conquest of Gaul
The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, and Switzerland). Gallic, Germanic, and Brittonic tribes fought to defend their homelands ag ...
by
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
in 52 BC, it was the
oppidum
An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...
of the
Celt
The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...
ic Mediomatrici tribe.
Integrated into the Roman Empire, Metz became quickly one of the principal towns of
Gaul
Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
with a population of 40,000,
until the
barbarian
A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice.
A "barbarian" may ...
depredations and its transfer to the
Franks
file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty
The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
about the end of the 5th century.
Between the 6th and 8th centuries, the city was the residence of the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...
kings of
Austrasia
Austrasia was the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Francia, Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages, centring on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers. It included the original Frankish-ruled territories within what had ...
.
After the
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun (; ), agreed to on 10 August 843, ended the Carolingian civil war and divided the Carolingian Empire between Lothair I, Louis the German, Louis II and Charles the Bald, Charles II, the surviving sons of the emperor Louis the ...
in 843, Metz became the capital of the
Kingdom of Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian era, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century. It was established in 855 by the Treaty of Prüm, as ...
and was ultimately integrated into the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, being granted semi-independent status.
During the 12th century, Metz became a
republic
A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
and the
Republic of Metz stood until the 15th century.
With the signature of the
Treaty of Chambord in 1552, Metz passed into the hands of the
Kings of France
France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions.
Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...
.
As the German Protestant Princes who traded Metz (alongside Toul and Verdun) for the promise of French military assistance, had no authority to cede territory of the Holy Roman Empire, the change of jurisdiction was not recognised by the Holy Roman Empire until the
Treaty of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two Peace treaty, peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy R ...
in 1648. Under French rule, Metz was selected as capital of the
Three Bishoprics
The Three Bishoprics ( ) constituted a Provinces of France, government of the Kingdom of France consisting of the dioceses of Prince-Bishopric of Metz, Metz, Prince-Bishopric of Verdun, Verdun, and Prince-Bishopric of Toul, Toul within the Lorr ...
and became a strategic fortified town.
[Vigneron B. (2010) Le dernier siècle de la république de Metz. Eds. du Panthéon. ] With creation of the
departments
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
* Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
by the
Estates-General of 1789
The Estates General of 1789 () was a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). It was the last of the Estates General of the Kingdom ...
, Metz was chosen as capital of the
Department of Moselle.
Although largely French-speaking, after the
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
and under the
Treaty of Frankfurt of 1871 the city became part of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
, being part of the Imperial Territory of
Alsace-Lorraine and serving as capital of the
Bezirk Lothringen.
Metz remained German until the end of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, when it reverted to France.
[Berrar J.C. (2009) Metz, retour à la France. Eds. Serpenoise. ] However, after the
Battle of France
The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the city was annexed by
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
.
In 1944, the
attack on the city by the
U.S. Third Army removed the city from German rule and Metz reverted one more time to France after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
During the 1950s, Metz was chosen to be the capital of the newly created
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
.
[Roth F. (2012) Histoire politique de la Lorraine, de 1900 à nos jours. Eds. Serpenoise. ] With the creation of the
European Community
The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organisation created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisbo ...
and the later
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, the city has become central to the
Greater Region and the
SaarLorLux Euroregion
In European politics, the term Euroregion usually refers to a transnational co-operation structure between two (or more) contiguous territories located in different European countries. Euroregions represent a specific type of cross-border regio ...
.
Geography
Metz is located on the banks of the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
and the
Seille rivers, from the
Schengen tripoint
A triple border, tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geography, geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or Administrative division, subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints ...
where the borders of France, Germany and Luxembourg meet.
The city was built in a place where many branches of the Moselle river create several islands, which are encompassed within the urban planning.
The terrain of Metz forms part of the
Paris Basin
The Paris Basin () is one of the major geological regions of France. It developed since the Triassic over remnant uplands of the Variscan orogeny (Hercynian orogeny). The sedimentary basin, no longer a single drainage basin, is a large sag in ...
and presents a plateau relief cut by river valleys presenting
cuesta
A cuesta () is a hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side, and a steep slope on the other. In geology, the term is more specifically applied to a ridge where a harder sedimentary rock overlies a softer layer, the whole being tilted somew ...
s in the north–south direction. Metz and its surrounding countryside are included in the forest and crop
Lorraine Regional Natural Park, covering a total area of .
Climate
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
. tending to continental humid. The summers are warm and humid, sometimes stormy, and the warmest month of the year is July, when daytime temperatures average approximately . The winters are cold but not often snowy with temperature dropping to an average low of in January. Lows can be much colder through the night and early morning and rare snow can fall during a period extending from November to February.
The length of the day varies significantly over the course of the year.
The shortest day is 21 December with 7:30 hours of sunlight; the longest day is 20 June with 16:30 hours of sunlight. The median cloud cover is 93% and does not vary substantially over the course of the year.
Demographics
Population
The inhabitants of Metz are called ''Messin(e)s''. Statistics on the ethnic and religious make up of the population of Metz are haphazard, as the
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
prohibits making distinctions between citizens regarding race, beliefs, and political and philosophic opinions in the process of census taking.
The French national
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2018 estimated the population of Metz to be 116,581, while the population of Metz
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
was about 368,000.
Through history, Metz's population has been affected by the vicissitudes of the wars and annexations involving the city, which have prevented continuous population growth. More recently, the city has suffered from the restructuring of the military and the metallurgy industry. The historical population for the current area of Metz municipality is as follows:
Notable people
Several well-known figures have been linked to the city of Metz throughout its history. Renowned ''Messins'' include poet
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine ( ; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolism (movement), Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the ''fin de siècle'' ...
,
composer
Ambroise Thomas
Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas (; 5 August 1811 – 12 February 1896) was a French composer and teacher, best known for his operas ''Mignon'' (1866) and ''Hamlet (opera), Hamlet'' (1868).
Born into a musical family, Thomas was a student at the C ...
and mathematician
Jean-Victor Poncelet; numerous well-known German figures were also born in Metz notably during the annexation periods. Moreover, the city has been the residence of people such as writer
François Rabelais
François Rabelais ( , ; ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French writer who has been called the first great French prose author. A Renaissance humanism, humanist of the French Renaissance and Greek scholars in the Renaissance, Gr ...
,
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...
, political thinker
Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville (29 July 180516 April 1859), was a French Aristocracy (class), aristocrat, diplomat, political philosopher, and historian. He is best known for his works ''Democracy in America'' (appearing in t ...
, artist and the inventor of the motion picture camera
Louis Le Prince
Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince (28 August 1841 – disappeared 16 September 1890, Presumption of death, declared dead 16 September 1897) was a French artist and the inventor of an early film, motion-picture camera, and director of ''Roundhay Ga ...
, French patriot and American Revolutionary War hero Marquis
Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, and Luxembourg-born German-French statesman
Robert Schuman
Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Robert Schuman (; 29 June 1886 – 4 September 1963) was a Luxembourg-born France, French statesman. Schuman was a Christian democrat, Christian democratic (Popular Republican Movement) political thinker and activist. ...
.
Law and government
Local law
The ''local law'' () applied in Metz is a legal system that operates in parallel with
French law
French law has a dual jurisdictional system comprising private law (), also known as judicial law, and public law ().
Judicial law includes, in particular:
* ()
* Criminal law ()
Public law includes, in particular:
* Administrative law ( ...
. Created in 1919, it preserves the French laws applied in France before 1870 and maintained by the Germans during the annexation of
Alsace-Lorraine, but repealed in the rest of France after 1871. It also maintains German laws enacted by the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
between 1871 and 1918, specific provisions adopted by the local authorities, and French laws that have been enacted after 1919 to be applicable only in Alsace-Lorraine. This specific local legislation encompasses different areas including religion, social work and finance.
The most striking of the legal differences between France and Alsace-Lorraine is the absence in Alsace-Lorraine of strict
secularism
Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...
, even though a constitutional right of
freedom of religion
Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...
is guaranteed by the French government. Alsace-Lorraine is still governed by a pre-
1905 law established by the
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between the First French Republic and the Holy See, signed by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII on 15 July 1801 in Paris. It remained in effect until 1905, except in Alsace–Lorraine, ...
, which provides for the public subsidy of the
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
,
Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
and
Calvinist
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
churches and the
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
religion.
Administration
Like every commune of the present
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, Metz is managed by a mayor () and a municipal council (), democratically elected by
two-round proportional voting for six years. The mayor is assisted by 54 municipal councillors, and the municipal council is held on the last Thursday of every month. Since 2008, the mayor of Metz has been
socialist
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
Dominique Gros.
The city belongs to the Metz Metropole union of cities, which includes the 40 cities of the Metz
urban agglomeration
An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
. Metz is the
prefecture
A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...
of the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
based in the former
Intendant
An intendant (; ; ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In the War of the Spanish Success ...
Palace.
In addition, Metz is the seat of the parliament of the
Grand Est
Grand Est (; ) is an Regions of France, administrative region in northeastern France. It superseded three former administrative regions, Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine, on 1 January 2016 under the provisional name of Alsace-Champagne-A ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
, hosted in the former
Saint-Clement Abbey.
City administrative divisions
The city of Metz is divided into 14 administrative divisions:
Cityscape and environmental policy
Metz contains a mishmash of architectural layers, bearing witness to centuries of history at the crossroads of different cultures, and features a number of architectural landmarks.
[Hubert P. (2004) Metz, ville d'architectures. Ed. Domini, Serge. ; pp. 164–165 ] The city possesses one of the largest
Urban Conservation Areas in France, and more than
100 of the city's buildings are classified on the list. Because of its historical and cultural background, Metz is designated as
French Town of Art and History, and has been submitted on to France's
UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
The city is famous for its yellow limestone architecture, a result of the extensive use of
Jaumont stone.
The historic district has kept part of the
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
city with Divodurum's
Cardo
A ''cardo'' (: ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Rome, ancient Roman cities and military castra, camps as an integral component of Urban planning, city planning. The ''cardo maximus'', or most often the ''cardo'', was the main ...
Maximus, then called Via Scarponensis (today the Trinitaires, Taison and Serpenoise streets), and the
Decumanus Maximus (today En Fournirue and d'Estrées streets). At the Cardo and Decumanus
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their ...
was situated the
Roman forum
A forum (Latin: ''forum'', "public place outdoors", : ''fora''; English : either ''fora'' or ''forums'') was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, alon ...
, today the
Saint-Jacques Square.
Architecture
From its
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
past, the city preserves vestiges of the
thermae
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large Roman Empire, imperial public bath, bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed i ...
(in the basement of the
Golden Courtyard museum), parts of the
aqueduct,
[Collectif (2006) L'aqueduc antique de Gorze à Metz. Moselle 119. Coll. Itinéraires du patrimoine. Eds. Serpenoise. ] and the
Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains.
Saint Louis' square with its vaulted arcades and a
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
chapel remains a major symbol of the city's
High Medieval
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...
heritage. The
Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral, several churches and
Hôtels, and two remarkable municipal
granaries reflect the
Late Middle Ages
The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...
.
Examples of
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
architecture can be seen in Hôtels from the 16th century, such as the House of Heads ().
The
Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the buildings surrounding the town square are by French architect Jacques-François Blondel, who was awarded the task of redesigning and modernizing the centre of Metz by the Académie royale d'architecture, Royal Academy of Architecture in 1755 the context of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment.
Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical buildings from the 18th century, such as the Opéra-Théâtre de Metz, Opera House,
the
Intendant
An intendant (; ; ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In the War of the Spanish Success ...
Palace (the present-day
prefecture
A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...
), and the Royal Governor's Palace (the present-day courthouse) built by Charles-Louis Clérisseau, are also found in the city.
The Imperial District was built during the first annexation of Metz by the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
.
[Pignon-Feller C. (2005) Metz 1848–1918. Eds. Serpenoise. ] In order to "germanise" the city, Emperor Wilhelm II decided to create a new district shaped by a distinctive blend of Germanic architecture, including Renaissance, neo-Romanesque and neo-Classical, mixed with elements of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Alsatian and mock-Bavarian styles.
Instead of
Jaumont stone, commonly used everywhere else in the city, stone used in the Rhineland, such as pink and grey sandstone, granite and basalt were used.
The district features noteworthy buildings including the Gare de Metz-Ville, rail station and the Central Post Office by German architect Jürgen Kröger.
Modern architecture can also be seen in the town with works of French architects Roger-Henri Expert (Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus church, 1934), Georges-Henri Pingusson (Fire Station, 1960) and Jean Dubuisson (Subdivision (land), subdivisions, 1960s).
[Expert R.H. Roger-Henri Expert, 1882–1955. Volume 3 de Institut français d'architecture. Eds. du Moniteur. ] The refurbishment of the former Arsenal de Metz, Ney Arsenal as a Concert Hall in 1989 and the erection of the Arènes de Metz, Metz Arena in 2002, by Spanish and French architects Ricardo Bofill and French Paul Chemetov represent the postmodernism, Postmodern movement.
The
Centre Pompidou-Metz museum in the Amphitheatre District represents a strong architectural initiative to mark the entrance of Metz into the 21st century.
[Jodidio P. (2010) Shigeru Ban, complete works 1985–2010. Ed. Jodidio, Philip. pp. 426–447] Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the building is remarkable for the complex, innovative carpentry of its roof, and integrates concepts of sustainable architecture. The project encompasses the architecture of two recipients of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, Shigeru Ban (2014) and French Christian de Portzamparc (1994). The Amphitheatre District is also conceived by French architects Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Paul Viguier and Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and designer Philippe Starck.
The urban project is expected to be completed by 2023.
Further, a contemporary music venue designed by contextualism, contextualist French architect Rudy Ricciotti stands in the Borny District.
Urban ecology

Under the leadership of such people as botanist Jean-Marie Pelt, Metz pioneered a policy of
urban ecology during the early 1970s.
Because of the failure of post-war urban planning and housing estate development in Europe during the 1960s, mostly based on the concepts of Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne, CIAM, Jean-Marie Pelt, then municipal councillor of Metz, initiated a new approach to the urban environment.
Based initially on the ideas of the Chicago school (sociology), Chicago School, Pelt's theories pleaded for better integration of humans into their environment and developed a concept centered on the relationship between "stone and water".
His policy was realized in Metz by the establishment of extensive open areas surrounding the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
and the
Seille rivers and the development of large pedestrian areas. As a result, Metz has over of open areas per inhabitant in the form of numerous public gardens in the city.
The principles of urban ecology are still applied in Metz with the implementation of a local Agenda 21 action plan.
The municipal ecological policy encompasses the sustainable refurbishment of ancient buildings, the erection of sustainable architecture, sustainable districts and buildings, Sustainable transport, green public transport, and the creation of public gardens by means of landscape architecture.
Additionally, the city has developed its own cogeneration, combined heat and power station, using waste wood biomass from the surrounding forests as a renewable energy source. With a thermal efficiency above 80%, the 45MW boiler of the plant provides electricity and heat for 44,000 dwellings. The Metz power station is the first local producer and distributor of energy in France.
Military architecture

As a historic
garrison
A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters.
A garrison is usually in a city ...
town, Metz has been heavily influenced by military architecture throughout its history.
From ancient history to the present, the city has been successively fortified and modified to accommodate the troops stationed there. Defensive walls from classical antiquity to the 20th century are still visible today, incorporated into the design of public gardens along the Moselle and Seille rivers.
A medieval bridge castle from the 13th century, named Germans' Gate (), today converted into a convention and exhibition centre, has become one of the landmarks of the city. It is still possible to see parts of the Metz Citadel, 16th century citadel, as well as fortifications built in the 1740s by Louis de Cormontaigne but based on designs by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Vauban.
[Halleck W., Halleck H.W., and Halleck H. (2009) Elements of military art and science. Ed. Applewood Books. ] Important barracks, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries, are spread around the city: some, which are of architectural interest, have been converted to civilian use, such as the
Arsenal Concert Hall by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill.
The extensive fortifications of Metz, which ring the city, include early examples of Séré de Rivières system forts. Other forts were incorporated into the Maginot Line. A hiking trail on the Saint-Quentin plateau passes through a former military training zone and ends at the now abandoned military forts, providing a vantage point from which to survey the city.
Economy

Although the steel industry has historically dominated Moselle's economy, Metz's efforts at economic diversification have created a base in the sectors of commerce, tourism,
information technology
Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...
and the automotive industry. The city is the economic heart of the Lorraine region and around 73,000 people work daily within the
urban agglomeration
An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
. The transport facilities found in the conurbation, including the international high-speed railway, Controlled-access highway, motorway, Inland navigation, inland connections and the local bus rapid transit system, have made the city a transport hub in the heart of the European Union. Metz is home to the biggest harbour handling cereals in France with over 4,000,000 tons/year.
Metz is home to the Moselle Chamber of Commerce. International companies such as PSA Peugeot Citroën, ArcelorMittal, SFR and TDF Group, TDF have established plants and centres in the Metz conurbation. Metz is also the regional headquarters of the Groupe Caisse d'Epargne, Caisse d'Epargne and Groupe Banque Populaire, Banque Populaire banking groups.
Metz is an important commercial centre of northern France with France's biggest retailer federation, consisting of around 2,000 retailers. Important retail companies are found in the city, such as the Galeries Lafayette, the Printemps department store and the Fnac entertainment retail chain. The historic city centre displays one of the largest commercial pedestrian areas in France and a mall, the Saint-Jacques centre. In addition there are several multiplex movie theatres and malls found in the urban agglomeration.
In recent years, Metz municipality have promoted an ambitious policy of tourism development, including urban revitalization and refurbishment of buildings and public squares. This policy has been spurred by the creation of the
Centre Pompidou-Metz in 2010. Since its inauguration, the institution has become the most popular cultural venue in France outside Paris, with 550,000 visitors per year. Meanwhile,
Saint-Stephen Cathedral is the most visited building in the city, accommodating 652,000 visitors per year.
Culture
Museums and exhibition halls

* The
Centre Pompidou-Metz is a museum of Contemporary art, modern and contemporary arts, the largest temporary exhibition area in France outside Paris. The museum features exhibitions from the extensive collection of the Centre Georges Pompidou, Centre Pompidou, Europe's largest collection of 20th-century art.
* Metz Cathedral, Saint Stephen's Cathedral is the
Gothic cathedral of the city built during the 13th century.
The cathedral exhibits the collection of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metz, Bishopric of Metz, including paraments and items used in the service of the Eucharist. Metz Cathedral is sometimes nicknamed the Good Lord's Lantern (), as it has the largest expanse of stained glass windows in the world: . These include works by Gothic art, Gothic and Renaissance art, Renaissance master glass makers Hermann von Münster, Théobald of Lixheim and Valentin Bousch, romanticism, romantic Charles-Laurent Maréchal, tachisme, tachist Roger Bissière, cubism, cubist Jacques Villon and modernism, modernist Marc Chagall.
* Another of the city's churches displays a complete set of stained glass windows by French modernism, modernist Jean Cocteau.
In addition, Metz features other museums and exhibition venues, such as:
* The Regional Contemporary Art Fund of Lorraine, FRAC Lorraine, a public collection of contemporary art of the
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
region. It is located in the 12th-century Saint-Liver Hôtel particulier, Hôtel and organizes exhibitions of local and international contemporary artists.
* The
Golden Courtyard (), a museum dedicated to the history of Metz, divided into four sections (e.g. archeology, medieval, architecture and fine arts).
The Golden Courtyard displays a rich collection of Gallo-Roman and medieval finds and the remains of the Gallo-Roman baths of ''Divodurum Mediomatricum'', revealed by the extension works to the museums in the 1930s.
* The Museum of the 1870 War and of the Annexion in Gravelotte, a village located within the Metz-Metropole conurbation and the site of the Battle of Gravelotte, the only museum in Europe dedicated to the
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
. The museum exhibits military and everyday items from the period as well as artworks related to the 1870 war. A mausoleum erected in 1904 honoring the soldiers who died during the battle, the Memorial Hall (), has been included in the museum.
* The House for Europe, located on the estate of
Robert Schuman
Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Robert Schuman (; 29 June 1886 – 4 September 1963) was a Luxembourg-born France, French statesman. Schuman was a Christian democrat, Christian democratic (Popular Republican Movement) political thinker and activist. ...
in Scy-Chazelles in the Metz-Metropole conurbation, transformed into a museum and convention centre. Across the street is the fortified 12th Century church where Robert Schuman now rests. The Robert Schuman House for Europe organises cultural and educational events that introduce the visitor to Schuman's life and works and to the way Europe has been constructed and continues to develop today.
* Verlaine's House () is a museum located in the house where the poet
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine ( ; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolism (movement), Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the ''fin de siècle'' ...
was born, dedicated to his work, featuring permanent and temporary exhibitions.
The Solange Bertrand foundation, located in the artist's former house, conserves and displays her artworks. The municipal archives preserve and exhibit Metz's historical municipal records dating from medieval times to the present.
Entertainment and performing arts
Metz has several venues for the performing arts. The Opéra-Théâtre de Metz Métropole, Opera House of Metz, the oldest working opera house in France, features plays, dance and lyric poetry. The
Arsenal Concert Hall, dedicated to art music, is widely renowned for its excellent acoustics. The Trinitarians Club is a multimedia arts complex housed in the vaulted cellar and chapel of an ancient convent, the city's prime venue for jazz music. The Music Box (), familiarly known as BAM, is the concert venue dedicated to rock and electronic music. The Braun Hall and the Bernard-Marie Koltès, Koltès Theater feature plays, and the city has two movie theaters specializing in Auteur theory, Auteur cinema. The
Saint-Jacques Square, surrounded by busy bars and pubs whose open-air tables fill the centre of the square.
Since 2014, the former bus garage has been converted to accommodate over thirty artists in residence, in a space where they can create and rehearse artworks and even build set decorations. The artistic complex, called Metz Network of All Cultures () and familiarly known as TCRM-Blida, encompasses a large hall of while theater and dance companies benefit from a studio of with backstages.
Metz in the arts
Metz was an important cultural centre during the Carolingian Renaissance.
For instance,
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainsong, plainchant, a form of monophony, monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek language, Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed main ...
was created in Metz during the 8th century as a fusion of Gallican and ancient Roman repertory. Then called Messin Chant, it remains the oldest form of music still in use in Western Europe. The bishops of Metz, notably Chrodegang of Metz, Saint-Chrodegang promoted its use for the Roman liturgy in Gallic lands under the favorable influence of the Carolingian monarchs. Messin chant made two major contributions to the body of chant: it fitted the chant into the ancient Greek octoechos system, and invented an innovative musical notation, using neumes to show the shape of a remembered melody. Metz was also an important centre of Illuminated manuscripts, illumination of Carolingian art#Illuminated manuscripts, Carolingian manuscripts, producing such monuments of Carolingian book illumination as the Drogo Sacramentary.
The Metz School () was an art movement in Metz and the region between 1834 and 1870, centred on Charles-Laurent Maréchal.
[Livre Groupe (2010) École de Metz: Christophe Fratin, Charles-Franois Champigneulle, Laurent-Charles Marechal, Louis-Theodore Devilly, Auguste Migette. Eds. Books LLC. ] The term was originally proposed in 1845 by the poet Charles Baudelaire, who appreciated the works of the artists. They were influenced by Eugène Delacroix and inspired by the medieval heritage of Metz and its romantic surroundings.
The Franco-Prussian War and the annexation of the territory by the Germans resulted in the dismantling of the movement. The main figures of the Metz School were Charles-Laurent Maréchal, Auguste Migette, , Louis-Théodore Devilly, Christophe Fratin and .
Their works include paintings, engravings, drawings, stained-glass windows and sculptures.
A festival named "passages" takes place in May. Numerous shows are presented to it.
Graoully dragon as symbol of the city
The Graoully is depicted as a fearsome dragon, vanquished by the sacred powers of Saint Clement of Metz, the first Bishop of the city. The Graoully quickly became a symbol of Metz and can be seen in numerous insignia of the city, from the 10th century on.
[Bellard A. (1966) Le Graoully de Metz à la lumière de la paléontologie. Ed. Mémoires de l'Académie de Metz. ] Writers from Metz tend to present the legend as an allegory of Christianity's victory over paganism, represented by the harmful dragon.
Cuisine
Local specialties include quiche, potée, Lorraine pâté and also suckling pig.
[Sassi J. (2002) Cuisine, terroir et traditions de Moselle. Eds. Serpenoise. ] Various dishes such as jam, tart, charcuterie and fruit brandy are made from the Mirabelle plum, Mirabelle and Damsons.
Metz is the home of some Pastry, pastries, such as Metz cheese pie and Metz Balls (), a ganache-stuffed biscuit coated with marzipan, caramel and dark chocolate.
Local beverages include Moselle wine and Amos beer.
The Covered Market, Metz, Covered Market of Metz is one of the oldest and most grandiose in France and is home to traditional local food producers and retailers. It was originally built as the bishop's palace but the French Revolution broke out before the Bishop of Metz could move in and the citizens decided to turn it into a food market. The adjacent Chamber's Square () is surrounded by numerous restaurants serving local food.
Celebrations and events
Many events are celebrated in Metz throughout the year. The city of Metz dedicates two weeks to the Mirabelle plum during the popular Mirabelle Festival held in August. During the festival, in addition to open markets selling fresh plums, mirabelle tarts and mirabelle liquor, there are live music, fireworks, parties, art exhibits, a parade with floral floats, a competition, the crowning of the Mirabelle Queen and a gala of celebration.
A literature festival is held in June. The Montgolfiades hot air balloon festival is organized in September. The second most popular Christmas Market in France is held in November and December. Finally, a St. Nicholas, Saint Nicholas parade honors the patron saint of the Lorraine (region), Lorraine region in December.
Sport
Metz is home to the Football Club of Metz (FC Metz), a football association club in Ligue 1, the highest division of French football (as of 2019–2020 season). FC Metz has won three times the Ligue 2 (1935, 2007 and 2014), twice the Coupe de France (in 1984 and 1988) and the Coupe de la Ligue, French League Cup (in 1986 and 1996), and was Ligue 1, French championship runner-up in 1998.
FC Metz has also gained recognition in France and Europe for its successful youth academy, winning the Coupe Gambardella, Gambardella Cup 3 times in 1981, 2001 and 2010.
The Stade Saint-Symphorien, Saint-Symphorien stadium has been the home of FC Metz since the creation of the club.
Metz Handball is a Handball club. Metz Handball has won the French Women's First League championship 23 times, the Women's France Cup nine times, and the French Women's League Cup eight times. The Arènes de Metz, Metz Arena has been the home of Metz Handball since 2002.
Since 2003, Metz has been home to the Open de Moselle, Moselle Open, an ATP World Tour 250 series, ATP World Tour 250 tournament played on indoor hard courts, which usually takes place in September.
Education
High schools
Metz has numerous high schools, including the Lycée Fabert, Fabert High School and the Lycée of Communication. Some of these institutions offer higher education courses such as classes préparatoires (undergraduate school) or Brevet de Technicien Supérieur, BTS (technician certificate).
University of Lorraine
Metz is also home to the University of Lorraine (often abbreviated as UL). The university is divided into two university centers, one in Metz (material sciences, technology and management) and one in Nancy, France, Nancy (biological sciences, health care, administration, management and law). The University of Lorraine, which ranks in 2016 among the top 15 of French universities and among the top 300 of universities in the world according to the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities, has a student body of over 55,000 and offers 101 accredited research centers organized in 9 research areas and 8 doctoral colleges.
Graduate schools
At the end of the 1990s, the city expanded and the Metz Science Park was created in the southern area. Along with this expansion, several graduate schools took the opportunity to establish campuses in the park. At first, facilities were grouped around the lake Symphony, like Supélec in 1985 and Georgia Tech Lorraine in 1990. In 1996, the engineering school Arts et Métiers ParisTech (ENSAM) built a research and learning center next to the golf course. This opened the way to the development of a new area, where the Franco-German university (ISFATES) and the ENIM moved in 2010. These graduate schools often cooperate with the University of Lorraine. For instance, the university and ENSAM share research teams, laboratories, equipments and doctoral programs. The École supérieure d'ingénieurs des travaux de la construction de Metz is also located in the city.
Transport
Local transport
Public transport includes a bus rapid transit system, called Mettis. Mettis vehicles are high-capacity Hybrid vehicle drivetrain, hybrid bi-articulated buses built by Van Hool, and stop at designated elevated tubes, complete with disability access. Mettis has its own planned and integrated transportation system, which includes two dedicated lines that spread out into the Metz conurbation. Mettis lanes A and B serve the city's major facilities (e.g., city centre, university campus and hospitals), and a transport hub is located next to the railway station.
Railways
Metz Railway Station is connected to the French high speed train (TGV) network, which provides a direct rail service to Paris and Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The time from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to Metz is 82 minutes. Additionally, Metz is served by the Gare de Lorraine TGV, Lorraine TGV railway station, located at Louvigny, Moselle, Louvigny, to the south of Metz, for high speed trains going to Nantes, Rennes, Lille and Bordeaux (without stopping in Paris). Also, Metz is one of the main stations of the regional express trains system, Métrolor.
Motorways
Metz is located at the
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their ...
of two major road axes: the A4 autoroute, Eastern Motorway, itself a part of the European route E50 connecting Paris to Prague, and the A31 autoroute, A31 Motorway, which goes north to
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
and south to the Mediterranean Sea towards Nancy, France, Nancy, Dijon and Lyon.
Airports
The Luxembourg – Findel Airport, Luxembourg International Airport is the nearest international airport, connected to Metz by Métrolor train. The Gare de Lorraine TGV, Lorraine TGV Station is 75 minutes by train from
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
international Charles de Gaulle Airport. Finally, Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport is located in Goin, Moselle, Goin, southeast of Metz.
Waterways
Metz is located at the confluence of the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
and the
Seille rivers, both Voies navigable de France, navigable waterways. The marina connects Metz to the cities of the Moselle valley (i.e. Trier,
Schengen and Koblenz) via the Moselle river.
Main sights
Religious heritage
* the
Gothic Metz Cathedral, Saint Stephen's cathedral built during the 13th century. The cathedral is nicknamed the Good Lord's Lantern (),
as it has the largest expanse of stained glass windows in the world and the List of highest church naves, tenth-highest nave in the world.
* the Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica, one of the List of oldest churches, oldest churches in the world and cradle of the Gregorian Chant.
* Saint Maximin's church featuring stained glass windows by French artist Jean Cocteau, and the Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus church built by French architect Roger-Henri Expert.
* the 13th-century Romanesque
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
's chapel, once part of the Templar Commandry (feudalism), commandery of Metz, the oldest Templar institution in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
.
Civil heritage
* The Opéra-Théâtre de Metz, opera house of Metz Metropole built during the 18th century in Tuscany-influenced neo-Classical style.
It is the oldest working opera house in France and one of the oldest in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
.
* The birthplaces of
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine ( ; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolism (movement), Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the ''fin de siècle'' ...
,
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, André Schwarz-Bart, Gustave Kahn, Gabriel Pierné, the sculptor Charles Pêtre, and Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle.
* The house of
François Rabelais
François Rabelais ( , ; ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French writer who has been called the first great French prose author. A Renaissance humanism, humanist of the French Renaissance and Greek scholars in the Renaissance, Gr ...
, when he came to Metz—then a free imperial city and a
republic
A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
—to escape condemnation for heresy by the University of Paris.
* Numerous medieval edifices, including two granary, granaries and several
Hôtels.
Administrative heritage
* the town square and its surrounding Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical buildings, built by French architect Jacques-François Blondel.
* the Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical courthouse (former Governor#France, Governor's Palace), built by French artist Charles-Louis Clérisseau,
location in 1775 of the ''Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette#Joining the American War, Diner of Metz'' when Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, Lafayette met Charles-François de Broglie, marquis de Ruffec, Marquis of Ruffec and Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, Duke of Gloucester and decided to support the American Revolutionary War.
* the Romanesque Revival architecture, Romanesque Revival Gare de Metz-Ville, Station-Palace and Central Post Office, built by German architect Jürgen Kröger.
* the Northeast France defence headquarters (former
Kaiser
Kaiser ( ; ) is the title historically used by German and Austrian emperors. In German, the title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (). In English, the word ''kaiser'' is mainly applied to the emperors ...
headquarters), built by German architects Schönhals and Stolterfoth in a neo-Flemish style.
Military heritage
* the German's Gate from the 13th century, the last medieval bridge castle in France. The fortification played a crucial defensive role during the Siege of Metz (1552), siege of Metz in 1552–53 by Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.
* the ruins of the city's defensive walls dating from ancient history to the 18th century,
and the extensive 19th- and 20th-century fortifications of Metz.
* the Fort de Queuleu, Fort of Queuleu, also called the Hell of Queuleu (), used by the Germans as a detention and interrogation centre for members of the French Resistance during the Second World War.
* the war memorial, an art deco sculpture by French sculptor Paul Niclausse representing a mother cradling the dead body of her son.
International relations
Metz is a member of the QuattroPole
:fr:QuattroPole, (FR) :de:QuattroPole, (DE) union of cities, along with Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, Saarbrücken and Trier (neighbouring countries: Luxembourg, France, and Germany). Metz has a central place in the
Greater Region and of the economic
SaarLorLux Euregio, Euroregion. Metz is also twin town with:
* Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, from 1957
* Gloucester, England, United Kingdom, from 1967
* Karmiel, Israel, from 1984
* Saint-Denis, Réunion, France, from 1986
* Yichang, China, from 1991
* Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, from 2001
* Kansas City, United States of America, from 2003
* Djambala, Republic of Congo, from 2012
* Nanjing, China, from 2019
* Chernivtsi, Ukraine, from 2022
See also
*Mont Saint-Quentin in Moselle Valley
Notes and references
Sources
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Metz,
Cities in France
Communes of Moselle (department)
Free imperial cities
Mediomatrici
Prefectures in France
Three Bishoprics