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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The House of Parliament of Metz, located in Place d'Armes, was designed by architect Jacques-François Blondel as part of a vast urban project launched by the Marshal of Belle-Isle. The latter, inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, wanted to modernize Metz by creating a central royal square surrounded by public buildings. After decades of negotiations with the local clergy and bourgeois, the works began in 1761, simultaneously with those of the neighbouring town hall. The building, intended to house the restored parliament in 1775, thus embodies the reformist ambition of the eighteenth century.

The construction, conducted in Jaumont stone, was ten years old and gave rise to a neoclassical building with an asymmetrical but balanced façade. The central forebody, adorned with a pediment pierced with oculi and sculptures of oak leaves, dominates a elevation on three levels: a ground floor with arcades, topped by two floors pierced with windows. To the left, three windows per level; On the right, a cochère door, arcades, and French windows. This combination of geometric rigor and ornamentation reflects the aesthetics of the Enlightenment century.

The House of Parliament had several postings after the Revolution. Ranked a historic monument in 1928 for its façade and roof, it now houses shops. In 2007, a restoration carried out by Christophe Bottineau, chief architect of historical monuments, rekindled its stones darkened by pollution. This building thus bears witness to the urban and political changes of Metz, from the absoluteist ambitions of Louis XV to his contemporary role in the Messin landscape.

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