Chapelle des Templiers de Metz

Metz

The only rotunda church still standing in Lorraine, the Templars' chapel in Metz was built between 1180 and 1220, a few decades after the first donation made to the Order in the city in 1147. Its octagonal plan, its thick Romanesque walls pierced by round-headed arches and its ribbed Gothic vault make it a rare witness to the transition between the two styles. Inside, 14th-century frescoes and capitals adorned with fleurs-de-lis accompany a keystone carved with a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit. A notable point: in the Holy Roman Empire, to which Metz then belonged, the repression of the Templars was far milder than in France. Few serving brothers were arrested and none was executed; local synods were content to absolve the members of the Order, who were thus able to carry on in the region. It is precisely this relative leniency that explains why the chapel escaped destruction at the dissolution of 1312, whereas the rest of the commandery has vanished. Listed as a monument historique (historic monument) as early as 1840, it now serves as an exhibition space within the Arsenal cultural complex, between concerts and artistic events.

Getting there : Arsenal quarter, rue de la Citadelle, 57000 Metz, right in the city centre

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound