Place de la Comédie

Metz


Bounded by one of the channels of the Moselle, this neoclassical square is home to the city’s 18th-century Théâtre, France’s oldest theatre still in use. During the Revolution, place de l’Égalité (as it was then known) was the site of a guillotine that lopped the heads off 63 ‘enemies of the people’. Only open during services, the neo-Romanesque Temple Neuf church was constructed under the Germans in 1904.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Metz attractions

1. Cathédrale St-Étienne

0.14 MILES

The lacy golden spires of this Gothic cathedral crown Metz’ skyline. Exquisitely lit by kaleidoscopic curtains of 13th- to 20th-century stained glass, the…

2. Musée La Cour d’Or

0.23 MILES

Delve into the past at this trove of Gallo-Roman antiquities, hiding remnants of the city’s Roman baths and a statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis…

3. Metz Plage

0.25 MILES

You might not have packed your bucket and spade for a trip to Metz, but you can head to this makeshift 'beach' on the banks of the Moselle in summer…

4. Esplanade

0.39 MILES

The formal flowerbeds of the Esplanade – and its statue of a gallant-looking Marshall Ney – are flanked by imposing buildings, including the Arsenal…

5. Place St-Louis

0.44 MILES

On the eastern edge of the city centre, triangular place St-Louis is surrounded by medieval arcades and merchants’ houses dating from the 14th to 16th…

6. Riverside Park

0.46 MILES

In summer, pedal boats and rowboats can be rented on quai des Régates. The promenade leads through a leafy riverside park, with statues, ponds, swans and…

7. Église St-Pierre-aux-Nonnains

0.47 MILES

Originally built around AD380 as part of a Gallo-Roman spa complex, Église St-Pierre-aux-Nonnains is a fine example of a pre-medieval basilica, tracing…

8. Chapelle des Templiers

0.5 MILES

Nearly always closed (enquire at the tourist office about guided tours that visit here), this octagonal, 13th-century chapel is the only one of its kind…