St. Stephen's Cathedral

Metz has been one of the main religious centers of France since ancient times. It is known that Bishop Gregory of Tours mentioned that after the destruction of Metz by the Huns on April 7, 451, only the chapel of St. Stephen, built on the site of an ancient sanctuary, survived.

The history of the cathedral goes far into the past. From sources of the VIII century it is known that Bishop Khrodegang organized the construction on the territory of the ancient sanctuary - it was during this period that several parts of the temple were erected. In 869 the church was crowned by Charles II. In 965-984, the cathedral was reconstructed at the expense of Kings Otto I and Otto II.

During archaeological excavations conducted in the twentieth century, it was found that the modern cathedral stands almost exactly on the site of the ancient basilica. And in 1220 it was decided to erect a large cathedral in Metz in honor of St. Stephen. Since then, six construction periods have passed, and the duration of the work was almost 300 years. The consecration of the new cathedral took place on April 11, 1552.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture. Its facades are decorated with sculptures and carvings. Due to its size, the cathedral is among the largest in France. However, its main attraction is the luxurious stained glass windows of the XIV and XVI centuries - it is here that the largest collection of stained glass windows in France is located. Among them are 19 stained glass windows by Marc Chagall.