Chapelle des Templiers

According to tradition, the Templars settled in this city free of the Holy Roman Empire from 1133. It was not until the end of the century to see their commander and build their chapel. The latter, built between 1180 and 1220, is today the only remnant of the Commandery. The Knights Templar was dissolved in 1312 and assets are attributed to the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Contrary to an idea often repeated, "no property in Lorraine Temple after his death, not passed into the hands of the Teutonic Knights." During construction of the citadel of Metz in 1556, the Commandery is destroyed, except the chapter house or refectory of the Knights Templar, which is covered with a painted wooden ceiling, which, though qu'ornée frescoes, will be razed in 1904. The chapel escaped destruction. It is classified as historical monuments from the first list of 1840. Following the construction of the military arsenal in 1861, she again escaped the demolition through the intervention of Prosper Merimee, the then Inspector General of Historical Monuments. In 1905, the Army sold the building to the city of Metz. The chapel underwent several restoration campaigns in 1864, 1908 and 1927. On June 9, 1990, she retrouvre appearance of the Commandery of Knights.