Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 60 En-Fournirue in Metz is a civil building dating from the 18th century, typical of the Lorrain architecture of this period. Its inscription as Monument Historique in 1929 specifically concerns its facade on street, highlighting its heritage interest for the city. The precise location, although noted as "passable" (level 5/10), corresponds to the official address recorded in the Merimée database under Insee code 57463, confirming its anchoring in the historic center of Metz.

In the 18th century, Metz – then integrated into the kingdom of France since 1648 – experienced an urban boom marked by the construction of bourgeois houses and private hotels. These buildings reflect the influence of classic French styles, adapted to local materials such as the Jaumont stone. The facades, often symmetrical and decorated with woodwork, bear witness to the social status of their owners, usually merchants, officers or members of the royal administration. This type of house was involved in the structuring of medieval streets, like En-Fournirue, while modernizing the urban landscape.

The protection of the façade in 1929 was part of a broader desire to preserve the heritage of Lorraine after the upheavals of the First World War. Metz, a border town disputed between France and Germany, sees several of its monuments classified to assert their French cultural anchor. However, the protection order does not mention the name of the architect or the first owners, leaving these details in the shadow. Today, the building remains a representative example of the easy habitat of the Enlightenment in Lorraine, although its current use (private dwelling, visit or other) is not specified in the available sources.

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