THE IMPERIAL TRIANGLE
Site testifying to the Germans' desire to build a new district to the south of the historic city
The Metz Gare district, known as the Triangle Impérial, is even more today a pleasant and obligatory passage to the Centre Pompidou. This site is a testimony to the Germans' desire to build a new district to the south of the historic city. For this purpose, the old ramparts were destroyed and the ditches were filled in to create the current Avenue Foch. It is home to eclectic villas with picturesque charms. Don't miss the extravagant neo-Renaissance style villa at number 22. The Camoufle tower is the only vestige of this medieval enclosure. The style of the surrounding buildings is typical of German architecture: buildings with a maximum of three floors, mostly built of pink granite stone. The work was not completed when the First World War broke out and continued until the 1920s. The SNCF station, a 300-meter long masterpiece designed by the Berlin architect Kröger between 1905 and 1908, borders this district. The richness of its decorations (statues, bas-reliefs, capitals and stained glass windows) symbolizes the omnipotence of the German Empire. The architecture is also inspired by the religious buildings of the Rhine regions. The station square was designed in 1995 by the contemporary designers Foster and Starck. To discover the rest of the imperial triangle, go up rue Gambetta (observe the sculpted signs of the zodiac at number 20) to place Raymond-Mondon, then go down the Saint-Thiébault rampart, avenue Foch and rue Pasteur.
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