Metz Favorites

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Favorite thing: Stained glass as an art form is older than painting on canvas. The earliest preserved specimen in situ is in Augsburg Cathedral (12C). The purposeful coloring of wrought glass is somewhat earlier. Metz cathedral has provided a fine site for expression of the form. Moreover in the late 15C the craft and art flourished and fine artists worked here, Most recently (1960) artists with an interest in this form have again been commissioned to create. Marc Chagall was already in his 70's when invited and had created other windows that had both been acclaimed and derided in part because they were made by craftsmen from sketches and among other things the lead supports of the glass distorted his concepts. Since he was not an adept at glasswork the project here became a collaborative project using all the scientific color developments that had occurred in the 19C (by Lafarge and Tiffany in the US and the English Gothic Revivalists) as well as 20C advances. Thus Chagall's dream-like evocations of the graphic imagery of the Old Testament are carefully integrated coloristicly with the demands of the supports and some of the shadings are like his paintings writ large.

Favorite thing: The city has grown on a place of the Roman settlement Divodurum. At the board of Rome, the city was important administrative and shopping center-craft. Gallia included the territory of modern France, Belgium and Netherlands down to Rhine, and also Switzerland. All this area was occupied with Celts whom Romans named gauls. Till nowadays in the names of modern European cities are quite often heard names of those tribes who have established them.
Taken by the French in 1552, it was formally ceded to France in 1648 through the treaty of Westphalia. Its commercial function changed then into a military one. In the 19th century, Metz prospered thanks to its iron and coal industries. The town of Metz experienced two annexations by Germany, the first between 1870 and 1918, the second between 1940 and 1944.

Favorite thing: Don't be surprised if you see a dragon flying around! I had no idea why is it here and what it represents, but it looked hilarious! I loved it! It's a HUGE dragon hanging in the middle of the street! Just like that!
It's in the very center of the town, I forgot the name of the street, but explore around a bit and you'll see it.

Later I learned from JLBG that this is in fact the famous Metz monster killed by St
Clement, Metz first bishop, as I wrote in the LOCAL CUSTOMS tips. It's called Graouilly. You can read more here:

http://www.mairie-metz.fr/METZ/ANIM/VISITES/VIS_Graouilly.html

Thanks, JLBG!!!

Favorite thing: Parks are beautifully arranged, and often you'll find the symbols, coat of arms or names written/drawn in flowers. It is all very neat and nicely cut, cultivated and arranged.

"Flower coat of arm" represents the "Croix de Lorraine" (Lorraine cross).
(This info is courtesy of JLBG, thanks!!!)

Favorite thing: This is a nice park in the center, beside Moyen bridge, and with a long promenade along the Moselle river. However, it doesn't seem the safest place in the world, there were some really suspicious faces strolling around, some looked quite scarry and I'm sure they were high... I bet this is the place to avoid in the evenings...

Favorite thing: This is THE place to come and admire the Temple Neuf. But not only. It's the busiest bridge where all the buses and traffic are taing the route, and lots of pedestrians of course. It takes you directly to the center. On the other side it leads to the Municipal park and a long quay.

Favorite thing: This is the bridge that connects the island where the temple Neuf and Opera Theatre are, to the part of the city where St. Vincent Abbey and Temple de Garnison are. it's all very near. But this bridge is lovely since it's very lively and nicely decorated, and it offers a wonderful view on Moselle and the cityscape behind.

Favorite thing: This is the small island on the Moselle river hosting Opera Theatre, Temple Neuf, Prefecture and so on. It's very picturesque and nice to visit. Yo can enjoy a quiet rest in the small park behind the Neuf church.