_On leaving the Hôtel de Ville, take, to the left of the Place
d'Armes, the Rue Fabert (see, on left, the statue of the Virgin),
then the Rue des Clercs which is a continuation of it. Coming to
the bottom of the Rue des Clercs, on the left is the Place de la
République, and on the right the Esplanade._
The magnificent space of =the Esplanade= was used as a parade ground
for the garrison troops.
[Illustration: ON THE ESPLANADE, A PRETTY GROUP AT THE FOOT OF THE
STATUE OF MARSHAL NEY. (Cliché Prillot, Metz.)]
[Illustration: WILLIAM I KNOCKED OFF HIS PEDESTAL BY THE PEOPLE OF
METZ AND REPLACED BY THE STATUE OF THE "POILU".]
Ney, Duc d'Elchingen, prince of the Moskwa, was born at Sarrelouis.
He is depicted with his rifle in his hand, ready to fire (_Photo p.
181_).
_Next, go to the end of the Esplanade, beyond the music kiosk, on
the terrace_: there is a magnificent view over Saint-Quentin Hill
and Fort, Plappeville fort and the Moselle. The ISLAND OF SAULCY and
POUDRIÈRE exactly opposite will also be seen.
[Illustration: THE STATUE OF THE "POILU" IN 1918,
_erected on the pedestal on which William I used to stand._ (Cliché
Prillot, Metz.)]
On this terrace used to stand the bronze statue of William I on
horseback (1892). The inscription on the pedestal used to state that
the statue had been erected to the Emperor "by his grateful people".
The conqueror pointed with his finger to Moselle and the powerful
forts of Plappeville and Saint-Quentin which protect the town.
William I was knocked down headlong some days before the entry of the
French (_Photo opposite_).
[Illustration: THE WALK ALONG THE MOSELLE. (Cliché LL.)]
In place of William, a statue "to the victorious poilu" was erected
during the night of January 6-7th with the inscription: "We've beaten
them". This was done as a pleasant surprise for Marshal Pétain who
was coming on the following day to present colours to 16 regiments,
and to confer decorations on several officers and men. This statue
was made in seven days in a workshop of Metz by the sculptor Bouchard.
The PALAIS DE JUSTICE, built in 1776, _looks out on to the
Esplanade_. On its site formerly rose the Hôtel de la Haute-Pierre,
which belonged to the Duke of Suffolk, lover of Queen Mary of
England. He had it pulled down, and built, in a year and six months,
the beautiful "Hôtel de Suffolk", which for a long while was used
as the town hall. Finally, in 1776, Clairisseaux built the existing
palace. _The following should be seen_: the iron banisters of the
great staircase, and, in the interior court, two bas-reliefs, one
commemorating the humanity of the Duc de Guise in assisting the
soldiers of the Duc d'Albe after the siege had been raised; the other
commemorating the peace of 1783 concluded between England, France,
Spain, United States of America and Holland. Behind the Palais de
Justice stands the beautiful equestrian statue of Lafayette.
_Return to the Place de la République and turn right along the
Avenue de la Citadelle which separates the Esplanade from the Place
de la République. Follow this road, which presently passes, on the
left, the Engineers' barracks and then a garden._
[Illustration: STATUE OF LAFAYETTE (Cliché Prillot.)]
_After passing the garden, turn left into the Avenue du
Maréchal-Joffre which leads to the Place du Roi-George (in front of
the former station)._
_Not far from the Place_, a round tower _is visible_, the remains of
ramparts of the Middle Ages. _Leave the old station behind you and
go alongside the gardens by the Avenue Serpenoise which follows the
tramway; immediately to the left is the_ PORTE SERPENOISE (1852).
[Illustration: THE PORTE SERPENOISE.]
[Illustration: THE MONUMENT OF DÉROULÈDE. (Cliché Prillot.)
_On the right of the Porte Serpenoise stands the statue of Déroulède.
To the right extend the modern quarters, with the General Post Office
and the Station of Neo-Roman style in very questionable taste._]
[Illustration: THE GENERAL POST OFFICE. (Cliché Prillot.)]
[Illustration: THE CENTRAL STATION. (Cliché Prillot.)]
[Illustration: THE RUE SERPENOISE. (Cliché Prillot.)]
[Illustration: THE PLACE SAINT-LOUIS AND THE ARCADES. (Cliché LL.)]
_Beyond the Place de la République, follow the Rue Serpenoise which
is a continuation of the avenue._ It is the busiest street in Metz.
_It is further continued by the Rue Ladoucette which leads to the Rue
Fournirue._
_Keep right along the Rue Fournirue and then still right along the
Rue du Change to reach the Place Saint-Louis._
The =Place Saint-Louis= or du Change was formerly occupied by
sixty stalls of money-changers. Some of the houses in the "Place"
have preserved their battlements, their pointed or semi-circular
arches and their three-cusped casements as well as some Renaissance
balconies. This name of Saint-Louis comes from a statue of Louis
XIII, found in the ruins of the citadel and converted by the priest
of Saint-Simplice into a Louis IX. Mystery plays were acted in the
"Place". It was then used for the executions of criminals and after
that a corn market.
_At the far end of the "Place" take the Rue Royale and then turn left
into the Rue Coislin which runs alongside the Coislin barracks (plan
below)._
[Illustration: THE PLACE SAINT-LOUIS AND THE PORTE DES ALLEMANDS.]
[Illustration: THE PORTE DES ALLEMANDS.
_View taken from the Quai des Allemands._]
_At the bottom of the Rue Coislin take the Rue Pont-à-Seille which
leads to the Place des Charrons, then at the end of the Place, the
Rue du Grand-Wad leading to the_ RAMPART DES ALLEMANDS _and continue
left as far as the_ =Porte des Allemands.=
The PORTE DES ALLEMANDS, on the Seille, is a remarkable edifice.
It is mentioned as far back as 1324. In the 15th century it was
entirely restored by the architect Henri de Banceval.
[Illustration: THE PORTE DES ALLEMANDS.]
[Illustration: FROM THE PORTE DES ALLEMANDS TO THE PONT
SAINT-GEORGES.]
_Opposite the_ =Porte des Allemands,= _take the Rue des Allemands_
(_see the interesting_ CHURCH OF SAINT-EUCAIRE _on the right) and
continue to the Place des Paraiges._
_At the end of the Place, turn right along the Rue Saulnerie and its
continuation on the left, the Rue du Paradis leading into the Rue des
Capucins. At the end of the latter is the Place des Maréchaux where
is_ SAINTE-SÉGOLÈNE CHURCH, built on the site of an oratory founded
by Saint Segolene in the 7th century. The present church, built at
two different periods (the choirs, the nave and the doorway are
earlier than the aisles) dates back to somewhere in the 13th century.
The long and narrow windows are mostly in pairs and with a spear-head
finish. The side chapels contain beautiful stained-glass windows
and there is a curious openwork gallery in the organ-loft and some
interesting pictures.
_Turn left and take the Rue des Trinitaires, passing an old building
with square turrets, near a gateway_ "Hostel Saint-Ligier". _Then
turn right into the Rue de la Bibliothèque._
_In this street is situated, at the corner of the Rue Chèvremont_,
a huge building, formerly the church of Petits-Carmes, the work
of Sébastien Leclerc, which includes both the =Library= (80,000
volumes and 1,987 manuscripts) and the =Museum= (collections of
local archaeology, natural history, objets d'arts, and three picture
galleries).
_At the Museum, take the Rue Chèvremont which ends at the Rue
de la Boucherie, into which turn left and so reach the_ =Pont
Saint-Georges,= _over the Moselle._
_Cross this bridge from which there is a beautiful view (Photo page
190), and enter the Rue du Pont-Saint-Georges. Immediately to the
right branches off the Rue Chambière leading to the_ =Chambière
Cemetery= where are the graves of the French soldiers who fell
during the siege of 1870.
[Illustration: THE MOSELLE AS SEEN FROM THE PONT SAINT-GEORGES.
(Cliché LL.)]
_The road runs between the vast slaughterhouse, the cattle market and
the huts used as an army storehouse. An old cemetery is crossed with
some monumental tombs standing in the midst, and then by skirting
the Israelite cemetery and the Moselle the_ =military cemetery= _is
reached._
There are plain tombs under bushy trees. In the centre is a tall
pyramid 12 m. high; all the base is represented by numerous coffins
piled on each other. There rest the soldiers who died in the
hospitals of Metz from wounds received at the battles of Borny,
Gravelotte, Saint-Privat, Servigny, Pletre and Ladonchamps. There are
7,203 in all.
Wreathes, tri-coloured cockades, and ribbons have never ceased, for
48 years, to adorn these graves which the ladies of Metz piously
decorate with flowers every anniversary.
_Return by the same route to the Rue du Pont-Saint-Georges. The Rue
Vincentrue is soon reached on the left and should be taken._
_Then turn right into the Rue des Bénédictins._
_Apply, at No. 7 in this street, to visit the_ =Church of
Saint-Clement.=
It was started in 1668. The choir, the nave and the aisle were begun
in 1680 by the Italian, Spinga. The West door was damaged in the
Revolution. The church is now part of the College founded by the
Jesuits, where Marshal Foch began his education.
_Return to the Rue des Bénédictins and continue along it until the
Rue Saint-Vincent is reached on the left, leading to the "Place"
of the same name, on which stands the remarkable_ =Church of
Saint-Vincent= _built in 1248._
The straight-built nave supported by 12 small-columned pillars, the
very regular choir, and the beautiful ogival chapels should certainly
be seen.
_Continue along the Rue Saint-Vincent on the other side of the
"Place". The Rue Saint-Marcel, which is its continuation, leads to
the Rue du Pont-à-Morts which should be followed to the left._
_Cross the Moselle by the Pont-Moyen_ (pretty view). _Follow the Rue
Sainte-Marie which follows the bridge and then turn left along the
Rue du Faisan leading to the small and charming_ PLACE DE CHAMBRE.
[Illustration: THE PONT SAINT-MARCEL AND THE PROTESTANT CHURCH.]
_From the_ PLACE DE CHAMBRE _return to the_ CATHEDRAL _and the_ PLACE
D'ARMES _by the little Rue d'Estrées._
[Illustration: THE PONT-MOYEN AND THE CATHEDRAL AS SEEN FROM SAULCY
ISLAND. (Cliché LL.)]