=The Place d'Armes.=
The =Place d'Armes=, on to which the Cathedral and the Hôtel de Ville
look, is adorned with fine buildings. On this site the cloister of
the Cathedral, the musicians' quarters, several chapels and private
houses used to stand.
In 1753 the Marshal de Belle-Isle, governor, decided that a "Place"
should be made on this spot and that a West door giving access from
the Cathedral to the Place should be constructed.
The plans of the architect Blondel necessitated a lowering of the
ground level.
[Illustration: THE STATUE OF MARSHAL FABERT,
_on the Place d'Armes_. (Cliché LL.)]
For months and years the canons and sheriffs set themselves against
the work or held it up. During the night of August 9th 1755, M. de
Belle-Isle called together the garrison and by the light of torches,
had the whole work completed: by the morning the excavations were
finished.
On the PLACE D'ARMES the statue of Marshal Fabert, by Etex (1840),
stands between military trophies.
The statue of the great Metz captain (1599-1662) who was governor of
Sedan, has only the following words as his inscription:
"If, to prevent a place which the king has entrusted to me falling
into the enemy's hands, I had to throw myself, my family, and all my
possessions into the breach, I would not hesitate for a moment to do
so".
Marshal Fabert, who was as clever an administrator as he was a
magnificent soldier, restored agriculture and commerce in Champagne,
and established at Sedan the manufacture of broadcloth, which till
then belonged to Flanders and the Pays-Bas. King Louis XIV held him
in very high esteem.
[Illustration: THE CATHEDRAL AND THE PLACE D'ARMES.
_On the left extremity of the cathedral is the pseudo-Gothic porch
built by the Germans (see photograph on p. 179) in the decoration of
which William II is represented as the prophet Daniel (Photo p. 178)._
_In the foreground, on the Place, the statue of Marshal Fabert._
(Cliché LL.)]