Tourist information on Nancy, France

Nancy is a city in the Lorraine region of northeast France, the administrative capital of the department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. Formerly the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, Nancy's historic city centre is a model of urban planning, providing a city landscape of unrivalled elegance and harmony that showcases the best in 18th century European architecture. At the beginning of the 20th century, Nancy was France's most important centre of Art Nouveau outside Paris. Today, the city is a thriving hub of commerce, industry and tourism, and one of France's leading educational centres, with its two universities and plethora of Écoles nationales supérieures.

Nancy was originally a small fortified town (named Nanciacum), established by Gérard I, Duke of Lorraine in around 1050. After the town was ransacked by the Emperor Frédéric II in 1218, it was rebuilt in stone over the next few centuries and became the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine. In the 15th century, the rival dukedoms of Burgundy and Lorraine came to blows, with Lorraine triumphing at the Battle of Nancy in 1477. After he had been deposed as King of Poland, Stanislaw Leszczynski was appointed the Duke of Lorraine in 1736 by his son-in-law, King Louis XV of France. It was Duke Stanislas who transformed Nancy with his grand architectural designs, which were brilliantly executed by the architect Emmanuel Héré. After the death of Duke Stanislas in 1766, the duchy became a province of France, but Nancy remained its capital. When Prussia annexed Alsace-Lorraine in 1871, Nancy was flooded with refugees and saw a sudden increase in its population. In the 20th century, Nancy flourished as a centre of finance, industry, art and education, its historic monuments making it a popular attraction for tourists.

At the very heart of Nancy is Place Stanislas, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, surrounded by classically styled buildings (including the City Hall, Theatre-Opera and Fine Arts Museum) that add to its grandeur. The square is named in honour of Stanislas, the last Duke of Lorraine, who succeeded in unifying the old and new districts of Nancy with his grand architectural projects. Nearby are two other important squares, the Place d'Alliance, which commemorates the alliance between the House of Lorraine and the Kingdom of France and the Place de la Carrière, which originally served as a venue for jousting and tournaments.

The Old Town (Vieille Ville) dates back to the Middle Ages but is now dominated by its 18th century buildings and monuments, foremost of which is the Arc de triomphe (also known as the Arc Héré, after its creator), a grandiose tribute to Louis XV. Just as imposing is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation de Nancy, of 18th century classical style, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Germain Boffrand. Standing at the edge of the Old Town is the Porte de la Craffe, a 14th century gate with two towers which make it resemble a fairytale castle. This is the oldest surviving part of the city's fortifications, and served as a prison for many years. The Porte de la Citadelle was built by Duke Charles III in the 17th century to reinforce the city's defences. These two gates were once linked by bridges, but these were removed in the 19th century.

Le Palais Ducal (Duke's Palace) is one of Nancy's grandest buildings, built in the 15th century as the official residence of the Dukes of Lorraine. Its gatehouse combines Gothic and Renaissance styles to great effect. Today, the palace houses the Musée Lorrain, one of Nancy's most important museums, which is dedicated to the art and history of the Lorraine region. Place Saint-Epvre is a busy square that was once one of the city's main trading centres in the Middle Ages. At its centre is a fountain with a statue of Duke René II of Lorraine, who famously defeated Charles the bold, Duke of Burgundy, at the Battle of Nancy in 1477. Adjacent to this is Saint-Epvre's Basilica, built in the 19th century, in the Gothic revival style.

L'Église Notre-Dame de Bonsecours is another of Émmanuel Héré's architectural feats, an 18th century church of predominantly Rococo design. It was built on the orders of Duke Stanislas in an attempt to buy legitimacy as the new Duke of Lorraine (a title he was given rather than inherited) and extends an earlier church that was built to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for the victory of Lorraine over Burgundy in 1477. Another distinctive church is L'Église des Cordeliers (named after the Franciscan Order whose members wore a cord around their waist), built in the 15th century on the orders of Duke René II after the Battle of Nancy. This is renowned for its chapel (of Baroque Italian design) and tombs of the Dukes of Lorraine. The adjoining Monastery contains the Museum of Popular Art and Tradition, which documents rural life in Lorraine.

Laid out with mathematical precision, with its straight streets forming perfect right-angles, the New Town makes a striking contrast with the Old Town. Founded by Duke Charles III in 1588 and substantially developed by Duke Léopold in the early 18th century, the New Town has its own market square and a church (la Primatiale, situated on Rue St.Georges) which was accorded the status of a cathedral in 1777.

Nancy's principal museum is its Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), which houses a large collection of European paintings from the 14th to the 20th centuries and an impressive display of Daum crystal. Created in 1793, this is one of France's oldest museums and exhibits work by Vasari, Le Tintoret, Jordaens, Rubens, Delacroix, Gustave Doré, Manet, Monet, Matisse and Picasso. The Musée de l'École de Nancy displays furniture, glassware and other decorative art in the Art Nouveau style for which Nancy was particularly renowned in the early years of the 20th century. Other notable museums include: the Musée Historique Lorrain (Museum of Lorraine History), dedicated to the history of the Duchy of Lorraine and its arts; the Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy (on the rue sainte Catherine), a large aquarium which doubles as an important centre of research and aquaculture; and the Communauté Urbaine du Grand Nancy (Iron History Museum), which shows the development of iron processing in the city.

There is also an abundance of green open spaces in which the visitor can stroll and unwind. The Parc de la pépinière is one of Nancy's most attractive parks, situated just north of the Old Town. The Jardin botanique du Montet is a large (27 hectare) botanical garden with a diverse collection of plants. Other parks and gardens of interest are the Jardin Dominique Alexandre Godron and Parc Sainte-Marie.

Nancy is well-connected by rail to other major cities in France, including Paris (90 minutes by TGV), Strasbourg, Lyon, Metz and Dijon. Most of the attractions are within easy walking distance of the city centre, but for those wanting to travel further afield Nancy has a reliable public transport system, comprising a tram system and bus network.