Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The archaeological site of Essey-lès-Nancy is an oppidum of the Iron Age, located on the Sainte-Geneviève hill. This 20-hectare plateau, surrounded by natural cliffs, overlooks the Meurthe valley and the city of Nancy in the northeast. Its strategic location makes it a major defence point, with a northeast rampart up to 3 to 3.5 metres high, protected by a triangular shoulder.

The excavations revealed a number of homes and furniture characteristic of the Iron Age, confirming its role as a fortified habitat (oppidum). The presence of these artifacts suggests a sustainable and organized occupation, typical of the Gallic societies of this period. The site illustrates the importance of oppidas as political, economic and military centres during Protohistory.

The entire site was listed as historic monuments by order of 7 October 1998, recognizing its exceptional heritage value. This protection covers the entire Sainte-Geneviève hill, including archaeological remains and defensive structures. The site is today a key testimony of human occupation in Lorraine before Romanization.

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