The Fortifications
From its position Metz was destined to become a stronghold of the first importance. The Romans fortified the town built by the Gauls, and erected the first citadel. The walls were preserved for a long time, and Bishop Robert, in the 10th century, utilised their remains. It was only in the 12th century that the new ramparts included the island formed by the two arms of the Moselle. They consisted of a high wall protected by sixty-eight towers. In 1552 the Duke of Guise commissioned an engineer, Pierre Strozzi, to restore these fortifications, which had withstood two sieges (1444 and 1552), and were in a dilapidated condition. Four years later (1556) Marshal de Vieilleville erected a citadel flanked by four bastions, on the site of the old convents. This citadel (which remained standing until 1802) stood on the site of the present Esplanade.
About a century later Vauban, fully aware of the strategic value of Metz, conceived a great scheme, which was carried out in the 18th century by an engineer, M. Cormontaigne. Vauban, for his part, added eleven new bastions to those which already guarded the citadel, but it was Cormontaigne who perfected the plans for inundating the valley of the Seille by utilising the waters of Lindre Pond.
Metz became finally one of the most formidable fortresses of Europe.
Under Louis-Philippe the fortifications were entirely restored, and in 1866 preparations were made to rebuild them on a new plan, better adapted to the exigencies of modern armaments and technique. Of the four detached forts of St. Quentin, Plappeville, Queuleu and St. Julien, only the first two were completed in 1870.
The Germans considerably strengthened the fortifications by means of nineteen bastions surrounded by moats, the latter being protected by thirteen out-works. The length of the line of forts was increased to eighteen miles, and eleven new forts were added.
METZ. ST. QUENTIN FORT (seen from the Esplanade)
METZ. AFTER THE ARMISTICE. ENTRY OF FRENCH TROOPS
November 19, 1918.
THE FIRST FRENCH NEWSPAPERS TO ARRIVE
November 19, 1918.