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The Imperial Quarter of Metz is a district of the city of Metz, in the région of Grand-Est, in eastern France, initially built between 1902 and 1914 by the government of the ruling German Wilhelmine Empire, during the period of annexation of Alsace-Lorraine.
The Republic of Metz ruled until the 15th century, a prosperous period when it was renowned as "Metz the Rich". Metz was then a major banking centre, an occupation first controlled by Jews and then by the Lombards. [24] The present-day Saint-Louis square used to be a site for money changers and trade fairs under its vaulted gallery and arches.
- Metz German Imperial District: Historic Overview
- The Railway Station of Metz
- The Central Post Office
- Place Raymond-Mondon
- Avenue Foch
- The Palais Du Gouverneur
- The Temple-Neuf
- The Temple of The German Garrison
- Proposing Metz to The UNESCO: A Long Procedure
- Where to Stay in Metz
The dismantlement of Metz’s medieval ramparts by the Germans in 1903 led to the creation of a new district within the city: the German Imperial District (in French: Quartier Impérial Allemand). Many reasons were put forward to justify the new urban planning: 1. Emperor Wilhelm II wished to “Germanify” the cityby creating “another city” within the e...
The railway stationis by far the most impressive building in the Imperial district. With its large dimensions (300m long), it served as a display of the German’s intentions to establish Metz as a prestigious German city, strengthened by its important garrison of 25,000 soldiers before 1914. Designed by architect Jürgen Kröger, it took from 1905 to ...
The iconic neo-Romanesque building of the Central Post Office of Metz was designed by architect Ludwig Bettcherand built between 1908 and 1911 on the Railway Station square. With its pink sandstone colour and its round-arched windows, it is often the first building of Metz seen by the travellers coming out of the railway station. The decision to lo...
Place Raymond-Mondonis the former Imperial Square, built at the beginning of the 20th century, which portrayed the power of the Kaiser. Its solemn facade opens towards the “Kaiser Wilhelm Ring”, now known as Avenue Foch. In its centre used to stand the equestrian statue of Wilhelm II’s father, Frederic III, unsurprisingly destroyed in 1918 when Met...
The large and chic avenue was obviously known by another name in the Prussian era: Kaiser Wilhelm Ring. It was drawn around 1900 on the site of the city’s ramparts. The urban regulation conferred a different status to the two sides of the road: 1. the Southern sideallowed business and trade buildings, restricted to 5 levels 2. the Northern sidewas ...
The Palais du Gouverneur of Metzhas been listed as a historic monument in France since 1975. It was built between 1902 and 1905 to serve as a residence for Emperor Wilhelm II during his occasional visits to Metz. The Palace was symbolically built on the site of the citadel erected by the French in 1552. When built, it was given the name “General-Ko...
Set back from the District is the striking Protestant Temple Neuf. The neo-Romanesque church, built by architect Conrad Wahn, was inaugurated in 1904 by Kaiser Wilhelm II himself, who once again was there to assert the policy of Germanification of the Lorraine city. Whether the Temple is seen from the Cathedral, the Place de la Comédie or from the ...
The Temple of the German garrison (Temple de Garnison) was built from 1875 to 1881 by German architect Rettigfor the German soldiers of the Lutheran faith. The neo-Gothic church initially had a nave and two side aisles, flanked by a central bell tower located on the facade. Contrary to the later policy of the German authorities which would try to G...
The demand of the municipality of Metz regarding the listing of its German Imperial District on the UNESCO World Heritage list tends to be a journey. France, as for any signatory state of the UNESCO convention, holds an “indicative list” of sites it hopes to be recognised. A country can only propose one site to the World Heritage program. The natio...
When visiting Metz at the invitation of the city’s Tourist Board, I stayed in two different hotels that I’m happy to recommend. I found both of them very comfortable and ideally located in the centre of town.
Metz is located on the banks of the Moselle and the Seille rivers, 43 km (27 mi) from the Schengen tripoint where the borders of France, Germany and Luxembourg meet. [6] 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 Gothic St. Stephen cathedral of Metz. Metz Cathedral stands out like the crown of the city. With its well-balanced proportions and its fine stained-glass windows, the lofty Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture in France.
- The Place d’Armes. The cobbled place d’Armes is one of Metz old town’s beautiful squares. It is elegant and majestic as it is bordered by the Gothic cathedral on one side and the Town Hall on the other.
- The place de la Comédie. Another interesting square worth mentioning is Place de la Comédie. Located on the Ile du Petit Saulcy, it borders the Moselle River, just a stone’s throw from the Cathedral.
- Around the Esplanade. Strolling down from the Cathedral towards the Esplanade, make sure you stop by the Moyen-Pont where the view of the Moselle River, the Temple-Neuf, and the Cathedral is delightful
Mar 3, 2020 · When it was ‘officially’ confirmed that Metz belonged to France at the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), the French started to build monuments and majestic squares that can still be seen today: the Place d’Armes and its classical buildings, the Opera-Theatre (it is said to be the oldest in France) and the Palais de Justice.
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Sep 24, 2012 · A vibrant and beguiling modern city, Metz wears its many layers of history gracefully. Its original site, on a hill at the confluence of the Moselle and Seille rivers in what is now Lorraine, was already fortified in 110 BC, by a Celtic tribe called the Mediomatrici.
