Saint Nicolas Hospice

See the statue of Our Lady of the Prisoners on your left. It marks the Gothic portal of the former Saint Nicolas Hospice. Created out of charity to care for the most destitute, it is considered the oldest and most important hospital in Metz. Its construction date is somewhat vague, probably between the 9th and 11th centuries, but while we’re not sure about the date, we are certain about its wealth because traces of donations made to the hospice by the bishops have been found. The hospital also received a very particular tax typical of the Middle Ages. Whenever there was a death, the deceased’s finest clothes were taken by the hospice, which then sold them and invested the money back into its structure! The money was also used to maintain the city’s stone bridges. It’s for this reason that the main bridge was named the Bridge of the Dead!