Thursday, January 20, 2011

the Gare de Metz


The station of Metz-Ville (the French pronounce the town's name as 'Mess') is one of the more impressive and attractive station structures in Europe.   It dates from the days when Alsace was part of Germany's Second Reich, built between 1905 and 1908 by Berlin architect Jürgen Kröger, assisted by architects Jürgensen and Bachmann and the sculptor Schirmer, in a néo-Roman Rheinisch style. it was opened on 17 August 1908.  It has 9 tracks.

The first photo shows the 40 metre high station tower, the second the street frontage and the third the old water tower, needed by steam locomotives in the old days.

One notes the poster for Robin des Bois, that is, Robin Hood, starring New Zealander Russell Crowe.  (Yes, he was born in Wellington NZ).

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