Metz
| Metz | ||
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Motto: If we have peace inside, we have peace outside (French: Si nous avons paix dedans, nous avons paix dehors) [1] | ||
| Cathedrale metz 2003.jpg | ||
| Saint-Stephen cathedral in Metz, the Good Lord's lantern[2] | ||
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| City flag | City coat of arms | |
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Metz (France) | ||
| Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | |
| Arrondissement | Metz Ville | |
| Intercommunality | Metz-Métropole | |
| Mayor | Dominique Gros (PS) (2008–2014) | |
| Statistics | ||
| Land area1 | ||
| Population2 | 124500 (2005) | |
| - Ranking | 28th in France | |
| - Density | ||
| Urban area | (1999) | |
| - Population | 322,526 (1999) | |
| Metro area | (1999) | |
| - Population | 429,588 (1999) | |
| Time zone | CET (GMT +1) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 57463/ 57000 | |
| Website | http://www.mairie-metz.fr/ | |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | ||
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | ||
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Metz (; ) is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. It is located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. The residents of the city are called Messin(e)(s).
Although historically Nancy was the capital of the duchy of Lorraine, Metz was chosen as the capital of the newly created region of Lorraine in the middle of the 20th century. An important Gallo-Roman city, Merovingian capital of the Austrasia kingdom, birthplace of the Carolingian dynasty, and one of the oldest republics of the common era in Europe, Metz possesses a rich history over 3,000 years. Metz is historically from Romance culture, but because of its location, the city has been largely influenced by close Germanic culture throughout history.
Metz benefices from the town of art and history classification. The city was the 39th of 44 places to go in 2009 according to The New York Times.[3]
History
Roman Divodurum Mediomatricum
In ancient times, Metz, then known as Divodurum (meaning Holy Village or Holy Fortress in Latin[4]), was the capital of the Celtic Mediomatrici, and the name of this tribe, abbreviated latter to Mettis, formed the origin of the present name. At the beginning of the Christian Era, the site was already occupied by the Romans. Metz became one of the principal towns of Gallia, more populous than Lutetia (ancestor of present-day Paris), rich thanks to its wine exports and having one of the largest amphitheaters of the country. An aqueduct of and 118 arches, extending from Gorze to Metz, was constructed in the 2nd century AD to supply the city with water, serving notably for public bathing. As a well-fortified town at the junction of several military roads, it soon grew to great importance. One of the last Roman strongholds to surrender to the Germanic tribes, it was captured by the Huns of Attila in 451, who left standing only a solitary chapel[5] and finally passed, about the end of the fifth century, into the hands of the Franks.
Early Frankish Metz
Though the first Christian churches were to be found outside the city, the existence in the fifth century of the oratory of Saint Stephen within the city walls has been fully proved. In the beginning of the seventh century the oldest monastic establishments were those of Saint Glossinde and Saint Peter. Since King Sigibert I, Metz frequently was the residence of the Merovingian kings of Austrasia and especially the reign of Queen Brunhilda reflected great splendor on the town. The town preserved the good-will of the rulers, when the Carolingians acceded to the Frankish throne, as it had long been a base of their family and one of their primal ancestors, Saint Arnuff, as well as his son Chlodulf, had been bishops of Metz. Emperor Charlemagne considered making Metz his chief residence before he finally decided in favor of Aachen.
There is evidence that the earliest western musical notation, in the form of neumes in camp aperto (without staff-lines), was created at Metz around 800, as a result of Charlemagne's desire for Frankish church musicians to retain the performance nuances used by the Roman singers.[6] In the basilica, Louis the Pious, King of the Franks, and his half-brother the Bishop Drogo were buried, and King Charles the Bald was crowned there.