Place d'Armes, Central square in Metz, France

Place d'Armes is a rectangular cobbled square between Metz Cathedral and the Hôtel de Ville. Its east side is occupied by the long classical town hall, while the opposite short side holds the Hôtel du District, a former guardhouse with a trophy-carved pediment that now houses the tourist office. A bronze statue of Marshal Abraham Fabert stands on a tall pedestal in the centre.

Begun in 1754 on the order of governor Belle-Isle, who acted on Louis XV's wish to gather all the city's powers around one square, the work enlarged the old Place de la Grande Église by demolishing churches and the cloister on the cathedral's left flank. The Palais des Treize was destroyed around 1765 and the new town hall finished in 1788. Renamed Place de la Loi in 1792, then Place Napoléon in 1806, it became Paradeplatz under German annexation.

The square's name comes from the military: a place d'armes was where troops assembled and military ceremonies were held. The south side was planned for a parliament representing royal justice, but the Revolution abolished it, and shops and homes filled the arcade instead. The Hôtel du District, its gable decorated with trophies, housed the main guard and now holds the tourist office.

The square sits centrally and offers direct access to major attractions including Saint-Etienne Cathedral and the Tourist Office. The flat terrain and location near other points of interest make it a good reference point for exploring the old town.

The bronze statue on the square shows Marshal Abraham Fabert standing, not riding: the sources describe a bronze statue of the Marshal of France, and its pedestal carries an engraved inscription. The two military trophies were moved closer together than their original positions. The facades of the town hall and the tourist office were cleaned in 2007 under architect Christophe Bottineau, with new lighting for the square and the statue.