Raymond Mondon square

This elegant square, with beautiful buildings is the magnificent Raymond Mondon Square. I believe you wont be surprised if I tell you, it used to be the imperial square. It was built at the same time as Foch Avenue,in 1904, on the site of the old fortification ditch, to connect the old city to the new city. Deliberately prestigious it is , surrounded by buildings significant to the glory of the emperor, such as the Hotel of Arts and Crafts, and the Bank of the Empire, which is now the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In the center , Wilhelm II had an equestrian statue of his father installed. It was toppled and destroyed in 1918, replaced in 1921 by a statue of Paul Déroulède, which was itself destroyed in 1940.Just so you know,In case you’ve never heard of Paul Déroulède , , he’s a French poet and politician from the early 20th century, considered by many historians as one of the forerunners of French fascism. Anyway, t emptied of it’s unpopular statues, a fountain was set in their place, just to make sure there are no more problems!! The square is now dedicated to Raymond Mondon, who was the mayor of Metz from 1947 to 1970.