Small city near the Saar, Mettlach have industrial activities and tourist features.
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european institute of cultural routes |
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| Claire Soriano |
| 25 September 2009 |
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The city of Mettlach appeared in the Middle Ages in 676, when the duke Lutwinus, bishop of Trier -to-be, asked for the building of an abbey there. A few century later, an octogonal church was created: die Marienkirche.
Nowadays, it is the only one building left in Mettlach that testify the medieval area in the city. Also called the « old Tower », the octogonal church is regard as the oldest religious edifice of the Saarland, the abbey of the Benedictine was rebuilt in the XVIIIth century.
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The old tower
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Living Planet Square
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In 1809 Jean-François Boch bought the old Benedictine abbey of Mettlach and installed in it a ceramic factory. The geographical location of the factory made easier the delivery of raw materials by sea and the richness of the natural ressources of the region permitted the development of the factory and also its radiance all over the world. Very quickly Mettlach was equiped with railroads.
Nowadays the old abbey accomodates the head office of Villeroy&Boch.
In the abbey of the Benedictine are also the Keramikmuseum (museum of ceramic) and the Keravision, that recount the 250 years of the Villeroy&Boch history and present the development of the factory's products.
Because of the Expo 2000 Villeroy&Boch made the bigger ceramic puzzle of the world with 137 000 pieces for the World Wide Fund for Nature. Two artists took part to the realisation of the project: Stefan Szczesny made twelve boards depicted a world map and André Heller made an Spirit of the Earth. Both artworks made the Living Planet Square and are to find in Mettlach near the « old Tower ».
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The Saarloop
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The Saarloop is one of the most important tourist feature of Saarland.
Close by the luxembougish and french borders, between Merzig and Mettlach, the Saar forms a loop of 7 kilometers around an island of greenery and rock.
From the belvedere of Cloef, it is possible to admire the natural reserves and the conservation areas in which the Saar flows out.
Organised trips by boat are set up for the tourists who want to sail on the Saarloop or to go for a day in Saarburg.
The Saarschleife Touristik GmbH organizes rambles and bike rides all around the Saarloop.
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