Monument à la Vierge-Marie

When world war one was over and the Germans left the city of Metz, Catholics feared that Metz could be the next Verdun. They asked rhe Bishop of Metz to erect the Virgin Mary statue if the statue was spared of the Fighting. Thus innaghust 1924, the statue was erected.On August 15, 1940 when the Germans again occupied the city, silent French gathered around the statue of the Virgin Mary even though there was a prohibition of gathering crowds. The French did this as a sign of patriotism to France.Because of this past event, The French do a procession to the statue of the Virgin Mary on the 15th of August.

This monument is in an old city square currently surrounded by outdoor dining from the various local restaurants. It is dedicated to Virgin Mary for protecting the locals during WWI and WWII. A cool piece of history in an otherwise common and highly frequented area.