Metz – Cathedral of St. Stephen

[I originally posted this in May 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

It’s evident just from the exterior what a grand cathedral this is and there has been a religious site here since the fifth century. Work on the current building began in 1220 and was completed in 1520, before finally being consecrated in 1552. Sounds like a normal public sector project.

That is one high nave. Indeed, it’s one of the highest in the world, over 41 metres tall.

The stained glass is beautiful, and there’s a lot of it.

For reasons unknown, there’s an area at the back of the choir which is vandalised with pen and scratches into the stonework. It’s relatively recent and not very dignified.

Wall painting on the pillar by the nave.

The decoration at the main entrance.

That height, those windows, just beautiful!

The apse, I think.

A rather nice triptych, I don’t often see these in cathedrals and churches, they seem to all have been collected up and placed in museums.