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SAARLANDES

Sights in Metz ● Cathedral of Saint-Étienne: 13th-16th century; Gothic period; with significant glasspainting of Marc Chagall and Jean Cocteau ● Basilica Saint Pierre-aux-Nonnains: 4th century; is meant as the oldest church of France ● German Gate: 13th century; big gate of fortress in the Middle Aged fortification ● Temple Neuf: built from 1901 to 1904 (during the German occupation); Neoromanticisme; the German Emperor Wilhelm II. has tried to represent the German rule in Lorraine in stone with this building; the Catholic Cathedral, in the style of the French Gothic, should be represented the opposite position, the Protestant building ● Govenor’s Palace: built from 1902 to 1904 (also to the time of the German occupation); Renaissance Revival Architecture ● Chapelle des Templiers: 1180 and 1220; Romanic and Gothic period ● City Hall: built from 1769 to 1771; Classicism ● Promenades on the banks of Moselle and Seille ● Centre Pompidou-Metz: the museum, which opend on May 2010, shows contemporary art and is the first branch office of the world famous Parisian Centre Georges Pompidou, with whom it shars the collections and the founda- tion of the Philosophy

Do you know that…? … Mirabelles are a speciality of Metz and the city organizes a festival of Mirabelle every year in August … the French poet Paul Verlaine was born in Metz? … the Gregorian chant was developed in the Abbey Gorze near Metz?

CASTLE VIANDEN IN LUXEMBOURG

A visit of Castle Staufen is a must-see because the Middle Age castle is one of the most significant historical monuments of Europe. Furthermore, it is about the biggest existing fortified barrier in Luxembourg. The castle was built on the foundations of a th th Roman castle and on a Carolingian refuge from the 11 to the 14 century.

Until to the 15th century, it was the domicile of the powerful Earls of Vianden, who were the most powerful sovereigns between the rivers Rhine, Moselle and Maas until the 15th century. The castle was property of the House of Orange-Nassau from 1417 to the French Revolution. In 1820, the castle was sold to the businessman Wenzeslas Coster, for what reason the castle decayed in ruins. From 1890, the castle was in property of the Grand Duke Adlophe and his family. Only as the state Luxembourg finally took possession of the castle in 1977, it was rebuilt again in its former magnificence. Therefore, the castle Staufen - which was sung about in the “Nibelungenlied” - belongs today to the biggest and most beautiful aristocracy residences of the Romanic and Gothic period in Europe. The most re- markable rooms of the castle are the chaple and the small “Pallas” from the 12th and 13th century.

SAARBURG IN RHINELAND-PALATINATE

Saarburg, located in the federal state Rhineland-Palatinate, shows the romantic Charm of a Middle Age city in the middle of vineyards and forests. With the building of the castle complex, the city was founded by Siegfried of Luxem- bourg in 964. The first habitants, outside the fortress, settled there to the beginning of the 13th century. During that time, the building was always destroyed and rebuilt again. Especially in the Religions Wars in the 16th century, the fortress had played an im- portant role.

Das Zentrum für internationale Studierende – ZiS – des International Office informiert: UNIVERSITÄT DES

SAARLANDES

SAAR-LOR-LUX AND THE GREATER REGION

The SaarLorLux-Region consists of the Saarland (SAAR), the French region Lorraine (LOR) and the Grand Duchy Luxembourg (LUX). The region has strengthened the cooperation in different parts like economy, culture and tourism since the founding convention of 1980.

The SaarLorLux-Region has developed step-by-step to the Greater Region which includes these three regions, the German federal state Rhineland-Palatinate and the Belgium region Wallonia.

METZ

Metz, located in the East of France where the rivers Moselle and Seille meet, is the capital of the region Lorraine and of the Département Moselle. The city has about 125.000 habitants.

3000 years of history

Metz can look back on 3000 years of history: People had settled there for the first time at the end of the Bronze Age. The Celt tribe Mediomatriker had founded a settlement of the area in the 5th century B. C. This tribe gave the city its name: Mediomatricum, later shorten to Mettis. - And then to today' name.

The Romans helped them to a considerable city from the 51st century B. C. The Gallo-Roman museum for example, one of the most remarkable in France, is from that time.

The Merovingian had chosen Metz to the capital of Austrasia in the 6th century A. C. The city played an important role under the Carlovingians and developed itself to a free imperial city.

Metz was officially adjoined to France only with the Peace of Westphalia. During the German-French War of 1870/71, Germans army occupied the city, so that Metz belonged almost 50 years to German until the end of World War I.

After the Germans had occupied again Metz in World War II, the city has been French again since 1944.

The signs of this changeable history are discern in the cityscape of Metz: The station and the main post office show the German influence in the architecture.

Metz today

Metz accommodates the Parliament of the Region as the capital of Lorraine. An University and more colleges of higher education, for music and engineering, are located there. Furthermore, Metz is the trading center of the here resident agriculture as well as the ironworks. Additional, the city makes a name as the biggest traffic junction of Eastern France. The international fair “Foire de Metz” takes place here annual. On account of his rich cultural inheritance and his beauty, Metz is called “Town of Art and History”.