Metz, France!

My friend Nick and I got up early this morning and took the train to Metz, France, just about an hour away. We had a nice French breakfast, walked around the city a bit and then took part in a four-hour tour of "Wilhelm II in Metz", or how the architecture of the city changed during the German occupation 1870-1918. If you know me at all, you know this is just my thing. And you already know how good a friend Nick is for coming along. :)

above: Porte des Allemands, massive fortress (13th century) which used to be part of the town walls above: city's Protestant church built under Wilhelm IIla Gare (1908) was built under Wilhelm II. This is where the tour started, as the train station is the most impressive building erected during this period. Obviously trains were very important militarily, so Germany needed to be able to bring troops to the border very quickly. Kaiser Wilhelm II had his own private platform, and the tour guide took us into his quarters.

Inside the train station. This was beautiful. And nothing was destroyed in either World War! The guide said everything was perserved! (With the occasional change by the French through chopping off a swastika, or an imperial German eagle...)
This huge stained-glass window portrays Charlemagne. The style of architecture in the station is very Germanic, as the Emperor wanted to turn Metz into a great German city which the Empire could be proud of. Opposing this window was a parallel one, except with a huge imperial eagle instead of Charlemagne. The French destroyed that window in 1919 but left this one, as they also claim Charlemagne as one of their historical figures.

This building (palace?) was built for the head of the military. It was built in the typical Weser Renaissance style.

The grand Cathédrale de Metz...

Place de la Comédie

Oh my gosh it will be hard to go back to school tomorrow...I have had such a fun extended weekend it felt like a completely different vacation. But now an die Arbeit...time to get to work.