Heritage: reflecting Lorraine’s soul Legacies of yesterday and today, Lorraine’s heritage is both rich and varied: Art Nouveau, contemporary art, Renaissance, fortified churches, cathedrals, castles, listed towns and villages… These territories and structures bear witness to Lorraine’s glorious past as well as to its inventiveness. The sites open their doors to pass on their history, and some are transformed into museums or works of art.
Contemporary art and bold creations, Art Nouveau inspired by nature, UNESCO heritage, Renaissance works, Gallo-Roman relics… Lorraine’s amazingly diverse architecture is worth the trip.
Proud of its industrial identity, Lorraine has given a second life to the sites that forged its reputation. The U4 blast furnace has become a work of art. Mining sites invite visitors to discover the daily lives of the miners. Elsewhere, brownfields are transformed into extraordinary gardens.
The history of Lorraine is closely linked to several conflicts including the Franco-Prussian War and World Wars I and II. Lorraine is an open-air, living history book with citadels, forts, the Verdun battlefield, remembrance sites, the Maginot Line and Vauban fortifications.
Take your pick of Lorraine’s museums, and discover archaeology, art, fine arts, history, military history and more.
Fortresses or Renaissance chateaux, family residences or ruins: Lorraine’s castles invite visitors on a journey through the centuries.
Churches and religious buildings are architectural treasures of different styles: flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance or Romanesque.
As a theatre of military conflicts, Lorraine is home to numerous sites that witnessed important moments in history.
Symbols of successful reconversions, industrial sites have been reinvented into extraordinary gardens, museums or works of art.
Towns of Art and History, UNESCO listed, Towns and Villages in Bloom… marvel at the remarkable architectural and historical heritage.
In Nancy, Place Stanislas was built in the 18th century by Emmanuel Héré at the request of Stanislaw Leszczynski, duke of Lorraine. A link between the Old and New Towns, the royal square was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, along with Carrière and Alliance squares.
Vauban, Louis XIV’s engineer, began creating a hexagon-shaped fortress in Longwy in 1679. The site was an expression of his concept of the ideal town and was among the 12 Vauban fortifications inscribed in 2008 as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Take a unique place. Exceptionally open it to the public. Invite a chef, his team and his talent. Set the stage and invite your guests to sit down to eat. A perfect recipe for culture, delicacies and magical instants!
