Down Town by Day, Opera House by Night

13 January. It was time to spend some daytime in Metz. Joseph and I walked around for several hours and here's what we saw;

The Opera House:

Opera house, built by 1752; Tuscany-influenced neo-Classical style

The Protestant Temple Neuf; 1904, neo-Romanesque church, [built during the German annexation]

Front Doors

Side Gate (NB; the Fern Gully Tree)

Have you ever seen such a tree?

I would like to see these trees with leaves!

Some history!!

“In ancient times, Metz was called Divodurum (meaning Holy Village or Holy Fortress in Latin^[4]), and was the capital of the Celtic Mediomatrici.”-Thank you Wikipedia. Metz was one of the last Roman strongholds before it fell to the Huns of Attila in 451. Then it was passed to the Franks, and later became a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire in 843. Metz was often was fighting to keep its freedom against Luxembourg, Lorraine, English mercenaries, and France.

Though it was also part of the German Empire for a while, it fell in the middle of another war between France and Germany and was turned over to France in 1552. Throughout following wars Metz was the fortified town in the midst of turmoil due to its proximity to Germany and other countries. In the 1870 Fracno-Prussian War Germany forced Metz to surrender until the armistice with Germany after WWI.

(How's this boat Dad?)

Under the Treaty of Versailles it was handed back to the French, but was lost again during the Battle of France in WWII. The US army won Metz back for the French after the battle of Metz when the war finally ended. 

Given this history it is not surprising to see the variety of architecture in this little city. Gallo-Roman, Medieval, Gothic, the periods of Renaissance, Enlightenment; the opera house, the German Imperial District erected during the first annexation of Metz by Otto von Bismarck. Stones used in the Rhineland, like pink and grey sandstone, granite and basalt, were used to replace the commonly used yellow limeston; Jaumont stone.

These two love birds are camera shy unfortunately; they stopped pecking whenever I tried to take a picture. At least it is a good picture of the other photographer; Joseph.

Infinite Possibilities

...every where you go...

...every step you take...

...is a walk in a park.

The Grand Bell Tower

This time of the day is gorgeous.

 We broke for intermission as we searched for a place to eat. I mangled some French as I asked several different restaurants if they were serving dinner yet, but soon realized (apart from still, no one speaks English) that restaurants close in between dining hours and open for dinner at 6:45 the earliest. A nice woman led us to an Asian shop where I ordered the closest thing to french food. A crepe with assorted asian ingredients, and Jasmine tea. It was very good. Back out on the road again we took a few more pictures;

Night Lights

Shops lit along the Channel

 Though we still had some time before the concert so we caught a bakery shop right before they closed (restaurants are nearly the only thing open after 7) and got an absolutely delicious danish. We walked around a few antique shops as well. Mom; they had  a monopoly car scaled to probably 8 inches long. I decided I will hold off buying antiques until I have a real house to live in. Alas the concert at the Opera House!

I believe it was a group of professor/professionals who united to perform an amazing symphonic orchestra. The first part starred a pianist. There was a memorial section where one of the members told a story in several different languages. Most of it was still in French so a few friends who introduced us to the concert  translated.The last piece themed a chaotic sense of music.  

Delicate art on the ceiling, I hope I will make it to the Sistine Chapel!

To conclude the night we attended one last event. The French college ENSAM nearby hosted an club/dance party including fog machines and laser/blacklights and interesting people. Pictures yet to come!