THE “PROMENADE DE LA MOSELLE”
The “grateful people” dragged this statue off its pedestal into the mud a few days before the French entered the town, and on the night of January 6 replaced it with a statue “To the Victorious Poilu,” bearing the inscription “On les a” (variation of the famous rallying cry “On les aura”) as a pleasant surprise for Marshal Pétain who, next day, was to decorate sixteen regiments with the “fourragère” cord and bestow decorations on various officers and soldiers. This statue was made in seven days by the local sculptor Bouchard (photos, p. [128]).
In the Esplanade stands the Palais-de-Justice (1776), on the site of the former Hôtel de la Haute-Pierre, the property of the Duke of Suffolk, lover of Mary Tudor, Queen of England. He had this mansion pulled down and the fine Hôtel de Suffolk built, which, for a long time, served as the Government House. Finally, in 1776, Clairisseaux built the present palace. The iron railings of the grand staircase and, in the inner court, two bas-reliefs—one recalling the humanity of the Duke of Guise in succouring the soldiers of the Duke of Albe after the raising of the siege; the other glorifying the peace concluded in 1783 between England, France, Spain, the United States of America and Holland, are especially noteworthy.
STATUE OF KAISER FREDERICK CHARLES DRAGGED DOWN FROM ITS PEDESTAL BY THE PEOPLE OF METZ
Return to the Place de la République and take on the right the Avenue de la Citadelle, which separates the Esplanade from the Place de la République. Follow this avenue, which soon skirts on the left the Engineers’ Barracks, and a garden.
Beyond the garden, turn to the left into the Avenue du Maréchal Joffre, which leads to the Place du Roi-George (in front of the old railway station). It was here that the statue of Kaiser Frederick III. was pulled down by the people. Not far from this square may be seen a round tower—a relic of the ramparts of the Middle Ages.