Metz

Metz is a city in northeast France where the Moselle and Seille rivers meet. It is the main city of the Moselle department and the capital of the Grand Est region. Because it is very close to where France, Germany, and Luxembourg come together, Metz is an important part of a larger European area known as the Greater Region and the SaarLorLux euroregion.

Metz has a very long history, spanning over 3,000 years. It has been a Celtic town, an important Gallo-Roman city, the capital of Austrasia during the Merovingian times, and the place where the Carolingian dynasty began. The city has been shaped by both French and German cultures because of where it is located and its past.

Metz is famous for its historic and cultural sites. It is home to the Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral, which has the largest area of stained-glass windows in the world. Another important building is the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains, the oldest church in France. The city also has the Imperial Station Palace, which once held the apartment of the German Kaiser, and the oldest working Opera House in France. Other notable places include the Arsenal Concert Hall and the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum.

Known as The Green City, Metz has many parks and gardens, making it a pleasant place to live. It is also a center for business, especially in information technology and automotive industries. The city is home to the University of Lorraine, Georgia Tech Europe, and research centers focused on materials, continuing the region's tradition in metallurgy and metallography.

Etymology

Long ago, the town was called the "city of the Mediomatrici," named after the people who lived there. When the Romans came, they called it Divodurum Mediomatricum, meaning Holy Village or Holy Fortress of the Mediomatrici, and later Mediomatrix. By the 5th century AD, the name changed to "Mettis," which eventually became the name we use today, Metz. Some older spellings like Mès show how people used to say the name in French, sounding like "mess."

History

Main articles: History of Metz and Timeline of Metz

Metz has a long history that goes back more than 2,000 years. Before the time of Julius Caesar, it was a town of the Celtic Mediomatrici tribe. Later, it became an important city in the Roman Empire with many people living there.

Over the centuries, Metz has been part of different countries and ruled by different leaders. It was once a capital for kings and later became a republic. Today, Metz is an important city in France and plays a big role in the area where France, Germany, and Luxembourg meet.

Geography

Metz is situated along the Moselle and the Seille rivers, just 43 km (27 mi) from the Schengen tripoint, where the borders of France, Germany, and Luxembourg meet. The city was built where the Moselle river splits into many branches, creating several islands that are part of the city's layout.

The area around Metz is part of the Paris Basin and has a mix of flat land and gentle slopes shaped by river valleys. Metz and its nearby countryside are within the Lorraine Regional Natural Park, a large protected area with forests and fields.

Lorraine experiences an oceanic climate, which means its weather is a mix between coastal and inland patterns. Summers are warm and sometimes humid, with July being the warmest month, averaging around 25 °C (77 °F). Winters are cold but usually not very snowy, with January temperatures often dropping to about -0.5 °C (31 °F). The amount of daylight changes a lot through the year—the shortest day is December 21 with 7.5 hours of sunlight, while the longest day is June 20 with 16.5 hours. The sky is often cloudy, with around 93% cloud cover throughout the year.

Demographics

The people who live in Metz are called Messins. In 2022, about 122,000 people lived in the city itself, and around 377,000 lived in the larger area around Metz. The city's population has changed over time because of wars and changes in borders. Recently, changes in the military and metalworking industries have also affected the city.

Metz has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known Messins include poet Paul Verlaine, composer Ambroise Thomas, and mathematician Jean-Victor Poncelet. The city has also been where many important figures lived, such as writer François Rabelais, political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville, and the inventor of the motion picture camera Louis Le Prince.

Main article: List of people from Metz

Law and government

Local law

Main article: Local law in Alsace-Moselle

Metz follows a special set of rules called local law. This system works alongside normal French law. It started in 1919 and keeps some older laws from before 1870, when the area was part of Germany. It also includes German laws from between 1871 and 1918, plus special rules made by local leaders and French laws made after 1919 just for this area. These rules cover things like religion, community help, and money matters.

One big difference is that Metz and nearby areas do not follow the same strict rules about religion as the rest of France. Instead, they follow an older agreement from 1801, which lets the government help support certain religious groups.

Administration

Metz, like all cities in France, is led by a mayor and a group of elected councillors. They are chosen by voters every six years. The mayor works with 54 councillors, and they meet once a month. Since 2008, the mayor has been Dominique Gros.

Metz is part of a group of 40 nearby cities called Metz Metropole. It is also the main city of the Moselle department and the home of the government for the whole Grand Est area.

City administrative divisions

The city of Metz is divided into 14 parts:

Cityscape and environmental policy

Metz has many layers of architecture, showing centuries of history where different cultures met. The city has one of the largest Urban Conservation Areas in France, with over 100 of the city's buildings listed as important historic sites on the Monument Historique list. Because of its rich history, Metz is called a French Town of Art and History and is on France's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Metz is famous for its yellow limestone buildings, using stone from Jaumont. The old part of the city still has parts of ancient Roman streets, like the Cardo Maximus and the Decumanus Maximus. At their intersection was the Roman market area, now Saint-Jacques Square.

Metz has kept pieces of its old Roman buildings, like parts of old baths under the Golden Courtyard museum and bits of an old aqueduct. The city has important medieval spots, such as Saint Louis' square with its old arches and a small Knights Templar chapel. The beautiful Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral and other old churches show the city's history. During the time of the German Empire, new buildings were made in a mix of German styles, using different stones from the Rhineland. Modern buildings from the 1900s and 2000s show many styles of architecture.

Metz was an early leader in caring for its environment. Starting in the 1970s, it created open spaces along the Moselle and Seille rivers and made many walking areas. Today, Metz has over 37 m² of green space for each person, with many public gardens. The city also uses renewable energy, like wood from nearby forests, to heat and power homes for thousands of people.

Economy

Metz has worked to grow many different jobs besides steel. Today, people in Metz work in places that sell things, welcome visitors, use computers, and make cars. About 73,000 people come to work in Metz every day. The city has good roads, trains, and buses, making it easy for people and goods to move around.

Metz has big companies and banks that help keep the economy strong. It is also a place where many shops are found, including large stores and movie theaters. The city has been making its old buildings and public spaces nicer to attract more visitors. One famous place is the Centre Pompidou-Metz, which many people visit each year. The Saint-Stephen Cathedral is also very popular with visitors.

Culture

Museums and exhibition halls

The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a museum of modern and contemporary arts. It shows art from the Centre Pompidou, which has the largest collection of 20th-century art in Europe outside Paris.

Saint Stephen's Cathedral is a beautiful Gothic church built in the 13th century. It has many stained glass windows, some of the largest in the world.

Metz also has other museums such as the FRAC Lorraine, the Golden Courtyard, and the Museum of the 1870 War and of the Annexion in Gravelotte.

Entertainment and performing arts

Metz has many places for shows and music. The Opera House of Metz is one of the oldest in France. The Arsenal Concert Hall is known for its great sound. There are also places for jazz and rock music.

Metz in the arts

Metz was important for music long ago. A special type of church music called Gregorian chant began there. The city also had a group of artists called the Metz School from 1834 to 1870.

Graoully dragon as symbol of the city

The Graoully dragon is a symbol of Metz. It is said to have been defeated by Saint Clement, the city's first bishop. The dragon often stands for old beliefs that were replaced by Christianity.

Cuisine

Metz is known for its food, like quiche, potée Lorraine, and pâté lorrain. Local drinks include Moselle wine and Amos beer. The Covered Market of Metz is one of the oldest markets in France.

Celebrations and events

Metz has many festivals. In August, there is the Mirabelle Festival celebrating the Mirabelle plum. In September, there is a hot air balloon festival. The city also holds a big Christmas Market and a parade for Saint Nicholas in December.

Sport

Metz is home to FC Metz, a football club that plays in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. FC Metz has won many awards, including Ligue 2 three times, the Coupe de France twice, and the French League Cup twice. The team also has a strong youth academy.

Metz Handball is a successful handball club that has won many championships and cups. The team plays at the Metz Arena.

Since 2003, Metz has hosted the Moselle Open, a tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts each September.

Education

Metz has many high schools, such as Fabert High School and the Lycée of Communication. Some of these schools also offer courses for students who want to go to university, like classes préparatoires or BTS.

The city is home to the University of Lorraine, often called UL. The university has two main centers, one in Metz and another in Nancy. In 2016, it was one of the top 15 universities in France and among the top 300 in the world. The university has over 55,000 students and many research centers.

In the 1990s, Metz grew and a place called Metz Science Park was built. Many special schools for advanced studies opened there, such as Supélec and Georgia Tech Lorraine. These schools often work together with the University of Lorraine.

Transport

Local transport

Public transport in Metz includes a special bus system called Mettis. These buses can carry many passengers and are built by Van Hool. They stop at special places that are easy for everyone to use, including those who need help getting around. Mettis has its own planned routes with two main lines that cover the city and nearby areas. The buses on lanes A and B go to important places like the city center, the university, and hospitals. There is also a transport hub next to the train station.

Railways

Metz Railway Station connects to fast trains called TGV, which go directly to Paris and Luxembourg. It takes about 82 minutes to travel from Paris to Metz. There is also a special train station called Lorraine TGV railway station near Metz that serves trains going to places like Nantes, Rennes, Lille, and Bordeaux. Metz also has many regional trains called Métrolor.

Motorways

Metz is where two big roads meet: the Eastern Motorway, which is part of a road called the European route E50 linking Paris to Prague, and the A31 Motorway, which goes north to Luxembourg and south towards the Mediterranean Sea, passing through Nancy, Dijon, and Lyon.

Airports

The closest big airport is Luxembourg International Airport, reached by Métrolor train from Metz. Another option is Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, which is about 75 minutes away by train. There is also a smaller airport called Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport near Metz.

Waterways

Metz is where the Moselle and the Seille rivers meet, and both rivers can be used for travel. The city's marina lets boats travel to other towns along the Moselle river, such as Trier, Schengen, and Koblenz.

Main sights

Metz has many important buildings and places to see. One of the most famous is the Saint Stephen's cathedral, built in the 1300s. It is known as the "Good Lord's Lantern" because it has the largest area of stained glass windows in the world.

The city also has old churches like the Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica, which is one of the oldest in the world. There are also important buildings from the past, such as the opera house of Metz Metropole, which is the oldest working opera house in France.

Metz has many historic squares, courthouses, and old walls that show its long history. There are also places connected to important events, like the old German headquarters and a war memorial.

See also: List of Historic Monuments in Metz, France

International relations

Metz is part of a group of cities called QuattroPole^{(FR) (DE)}, together with Luxembourg, Saarbrücken, and Trier. It plays an important role in the Greater Region and the economic area known as SaarLorLux Euroregion. Metz also has friendly partnerships with many cities around the world, including:

• Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, since 1957
• Gloucester, England, United Kingdom, since 1967
• Karmiel, Israel, since 1984
• Saint-Denis, Réunion, France, since 1986
• Yichang, China, since 1991
• Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, since 2001
• Kansas City, United States of America, since 2003
• Djambala, Republic of Congo, since 2012
• Nanjing, China, since 2019
• Chernivtsi, Ukraine, since 2022