Post Office

Another imposing monument is the huge Post Office building opposite of the station. This central post office is a gem of neo-Romanesque architecture and is actually classified as a historical monument. If it’s so beautiful, it’s once again thanks to Wilhelm II. Indeed, for the emperor, Metz had to be a showcase of German power! He wanted coherence in this district opening onto the city and ordered that all official buildings constructed around the station be built in this same neo-Romanesque style. Just like neo-Gothic, neo-Romanesque draws inspiration from medieval art. Allow me to refresh your memory or provide you with some notions of architectural basics. Gothic, in general, seeks an upward thrust, has magnificent sculpted decoration, and tries to enhance light, while Romanesque art, and therefore neo-Romanesque, favors austere, very pure, and simple beauty. The fact that the post office faces the station is obviously not a coincidence! We, the French, always see the Germans as super organized people, and well, its totally the case here! The strategic location of the two buildings was meant to facilitate the flow of mail, even in times of conflict! The post office, inaugurated in 1911, is built with pink sandstone from the Vosges and not with the traditional yellow stone of Metz. In 1944, exterior restoration works were undertaken under war damage reparation. Since 1975, it has been classified as a historical monument, and still belongs to the postal services of the city, although it no longer open to the public.