Located 7 km west of Metz, the archeological site of the village of Châtel-Saint-Germain, a 313-meter promontory, dominates the Montvaux valley. Hissé on a limestone spur, it alone brings together a wide variety of vestiges of many different eras.
The site consists of three parts. The first part houses the remnants of an area of Gaul from 2nd century.
The Merovingian necropolis is the second wave of occupation. The originality of this incredible cemetery of nearly 374 graves is its very unusual location, juched 300 meters high! The various search campaigns attest to the richness of funeral furniture (sarcophagi, stone coffers).
In the twelfth century, the Benedictine of the Abbey Saint Vincent of Metz. The monastic life of the monastic life is reflected in the annex buildings (artisanal facilities, bread oven). Only the tower tower of the Priory Church (with its only window) still exists today. From the top of its 9 m, its Romanesque style gives the place a great medieval charm.
While the historic attraction of the site is undeniable, the beauty of its natural surroundings (between slopes, wood and clearing) also contributes to its tourist success.
Access: parking (first to left after the village church), start of the trail on the right on the route 30 m higher. Take 25 min of climb enough! Think of having good hiking
References:Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.