Metz has stood between France and Germany for centuries, and you can read it in its streets: a Gothic cathedral of golden Jaumont stone faces a station built under a German emperor. The city sits where the Seille flows into the Moselle, with islands, bridges and riverside gardens at its heart. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Metz
- God's lantern: the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne has about 6,500 square metres of stained glass, one of the largest expanses in the world, which is why it is nicknamed 'la Lanterne du Bon Dieu'.
- A nave that reaches high: begun in 1220 and consecrated in 1552, the cathedral has a nave 41.41 metres high, the third highest of any French cathedral after Amiens and Beauvais.
- Chagall in the windows: between 1958 and 1970, Marc Chagall created three series of stained-glass windows for the cathedral.
- A castle on a bridge: the Germans' Gate spans the Seille as a fortified bridge, with two round towers from the 13th century and two gun bastions added in the 15th.
- The siege that failed: in 1552 Metz came under French control, and that winter Emperor Charles V besieged it with a huge army. The city held out, and in January 1553 the emperor gave up.
- A church for the Kaiser: the Temple Neuf, a Protestant church in Romanesque Revival style, was built on an island in the Moselle when Metz was German. Emperor Wilhelm II attended its inauguration in 1904.
- France's oldest working opera house: the Opéra-Théâtre on the Place de la Comédie opened in 1752 and is still in use.
- One of the oldest churches in France: Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains began as a Roman building in the 4th century and was later turned into a church. Today it hosts concerts and exhibitions.
- Plum capital: Lorraine grows about 80 percent of the world's commercial mirabelle plums, and every August Metz holds a festival in their honour.
- A museum with a hat: the Centre Pompidou-Metz, the first branch of the Paris museum outside the capital, opened in 2010. Its wavy roof by the architect Shigeru Ban was inspired by a woven Chinese hat.
The legend of the Graoully
Long ago, legend says, a dragon called the Graoully lived in the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre at Metz, together with a swarm of snakes. Their poisonous breath killed anyone who came near, and the people lived in fear. Then Clement, the city's first bishop, arrived. He walked into the ruins, made the sign of the cross, tied his stole around the dragon's neck and led it like a dog to the river Seille, where he ordered it to disappear. The beast obeyed, and the grateful citizens became Christians. The Graoully has been a symbol of Metz for a thousand years: an effigy of the dragon hangs in the cathedral crypt.
The Imperial District, explained
After 1871, Metz became part of the German Empire, and Berlin set out to make it a showcase. South of the old town, a new Imperial District rose with wide avenues, a grand post office and the station, designed by Jürgen Kröger in a heavy Romanesque Revival style. Unlike the yellow limestone of the old town, these buildings use grey and pink sandstone and granite from the Rhineland. The station was planned with military transport in mind, with long platforms for moving troops towards the French border. Metz returned to France after the First World War, but the German quarter remains one of the most striking parts of the city.
What to eat in Metz
- Quiche lorraine: the original version is made with eggs, cream and smoked bacon, without cheese.
- Pâté lorrain: pork and veal marinated in white wine, baked in puff pastry and served warm or cold.
- Potée lorraine: a hearty winter stew of smoked pork, sausage, cabbage and root vegetables.
- Tarte aux mirabelles: a simple tart covered with the small golden plums, best in late summer.
- Mirabelle de Lorraine eau-de-vie: a clear plum brandy, traditionally served after a meal.
Good to know before you go
- Visit the cathedral on a sunny day, when the light through the glass is at its strongest. The Chagall windows are in the north transept and ambulatory.
- The Centre Pompidou-Metz is right behind the station, so you can combine it with your arrival or departure.
- Walk along the Moselle to the Plan d'Eau and the gardens around the Temple Neuf for the classic views of the city's islands.
- Nancy, with its UNESCO-listed Place Stanislas, and Luxembourg are both easy day trips by train.
Explore Metz with World City Trail
Our Metz scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 47 minutes of walking, and leads you past the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, the Temple Neuf and the Germans' Gate, among other sights.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like.
Play the Metz scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.