Photo : Philippe Gisselbrecht / Ville de Metz (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Metz
Metz, prefecture of the Moselle, lies at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille. A former oppidum of the Mediomatrici, it became capital of the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia in the sixth century, was part of the Three Bishoprics from 1552 to 1790, then was annexed by the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. It has about 122,000 inhabitants.
The historic centre is characterised by Jaumont stone, a limestone of ochre-yellow tint. The cathedral of Saint-Étienne, one of the great Gothic cathedrals of France, is renowned for its stained glass. The Imperial district keeps the architecture of the German period, from 1871 to 1918. The Centre Pompidou-Metz, opened in 2010, adds a note of contemporary architecture. The city occupies a crossroads position between several European routes.
