Gezicht op Metz en de Moezel c. 1860 - 1865

This stereoscopic image captures Metz and the Moselle River. The anonymous photographer created this to fit into a larger series titled "Voyage Sur Les Bords Du Rhin & De La Moselle". Stereoscopic images like this one were popular in the 19th century as a form of entertainment and education. The image invites us to consider the history and identity of Metz, a city whose control has been contested between France and Germany. The architecture reflects the city's complex history and strategic importance. We can think about what it meant to travel through this landscape in the late 19th century, and how technologies like stereoscopic photography shaped perceptions of place. The image is a record but also an interpretation. What stories do we tell ourselves about borders and belonging?