Saint Arnoul Abbey in Metz

Today, the Metz garrison mixed Circle club occupies these buildings that date back to the 13th century and have been successively a monastery for the Preaching Friars, the Royal Abbey of Saint Arnoul, the Haute-Pierre Hospital and Metz School Today, the Metz garrison mixed circle club (main Saint-Arnoul section) occupies these buildings that have been successively a monastery for the Preaching Friars, the Royal Abbey of Saint Arnoul, the Haute-Pierre Hospital and Metz School. The Monastery of the Preaching Friars In 1222, the Senior Deputy Mayor of Metz founded a monastery for the Dominicans, on a promontory overlooking the Moselle, inside the city walls. It took the name of the "Monastery of the Preaching Friars". The Preaching Friars remained on the site until 1552. The Royal Abbey of Saint Arnoul In 1552, during the siege of Metz by Charles Quint, the Duke of Guise was sent by the king of France to organise the defence of the city. He decided to demolish any buildings outside the city walls that could interfere with his plans. Among these was a monastery housing the mortal remains of Saint Arnoul, bishop of Metz in the 7th century. The Duke of Guise decided to move the Benedictines who lived there to the monastery of the Preaching Friars. The name of the monastery was then changed to the "Royal Abbey of Saint Arnoul", where the Benedictines remained until the Revolution. The Haute-Pierre Hospital In the 17th century, at the instigation of Abbot Guillaume de Fürstenberg, the cloister and buildings that had fallen into ruins were rebuilt. After the Revolution, the Abbey was given to the nation. In 1792, it became the Haute-Pierre Hospital. Monastery turned school In 1795, the hospital buildings were given over to the engineering school, which set up there in June 1796. Work was undertaken to convert the monastery into a school. Classrooms, stables and a riding school were created. The church, which had been destroyed, was turned into a hall for exercises in 1840. The students' quarters, built at the north-east of the abbey, were completed in 1845. The school lasted until 1870. Between 1870 and 1918, the Germans set up a "school for war" on the premises.

The Garrison Mixed Circle Club(Cercle mixte de Garnison) After the First World War, the buildings were given back to the Army. On 15 May 1919, the officers' club was inaugurated. The Garrison Mixed Circle Club today continues to carry out its functions in these buildings. This building has been entrusted to the Ministry of Defence. France's Defence and Culture ministries signed an agreement to restore it, on 17 September 2005.
Ministère de la défense(Ministry of Defence) Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration (General Bureau for Administration) Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives (Remembrance, Heritage and Archives Department) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr