Caserne Ney, Military barracks and historic monument in Metz, France.
Caserne Ney is a military barracks and listed historic monument in Metz featuring a U-shaped layout with symmetrical wings enclosing a spacious central courtyard. The structure demonstrates the ordered design principles typical of early 19th century military installations in France.
Earthworks began in 1833, but the barracks itself was built from 1841 to 1844 under Colonel Firmin-Claude Parnajon, next to the Ney arsenal. German troops occupied it after 1871 and renamed it Kaiser Wilhelm-Kaserne, stationing the 130th Infantry Regiment there. France regained it in 1919, Germany occupied it again in 1940, and French forces returned in November 1944. The gate reliefs were inscribed as monuments historiques on 24 October 1929.
The barracks is named after Marshal Michel Ney, though locals usually call it Caserne du Génie, the engineer barracks. The high-relief trophies of arms at the entrance, carved in 1854 by the Husson brothers and Gustave Hennequin, were listed as historic monuments on 24 October 1929. The site still houses the Service d'infrastructure de la Défense Nord-Est and a military medical centre.
The barracks is an active military site housing the Service d'infrastructure de la Défense Nord-Est, the 4th medical centre of the armed forces and a recruitment centre, so the interior is not open to visitors. The sculpted arms trophies can be seen from the public streets bordering the complex: Avenue Ney to the north, Rue du Général Gaston Dupuis to the west, Avenue Schuman to the south and Rue Maréchal Lyautey to the east.
The gate reliefs of 1854, carved by brothers Antoine and François-Désiré Husson with Gustave Hennequin, were listed as monuments historiques on 24 October 1929, five years before the French army retook the barracks in November 1944. The complex is bounded by Avenue Ney, Rue du Général Gaston Dupuis, Avenue Schuman and Rue Maréchal Lyautey.
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