One of the first mentions of the church of St. Stephen (Saint-Etienne) dates back to the V century - from a source known that the chapel of Saint-Etienne has existed on this site, and even survived the foray of the Huns. Located beneath the modern building of the ancient religious buildings confirmed the archaeological excavations carried out in the last century.

The construction of St. Stephen's Cathedral was started in the VIII century, and only two centuries later at the temple was reconstructed, which was funded by the royal treasury of Otto I, and then his successor Otto II.

Another reconstruction of the cathedral was undertaken at the beginning of the XIII century and lasted for about three centuries. At that time the church had a new nave, which was attached to the old church building. The height of the nave over 40 meters, and it is possible to assume the cathedral in Metz one of the greatest height of the nave in France - after the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens and Saint Peter's in the town of Beauvais. Updated cathedral was consecrated in 1552. Another reconstruction of the cathedral was made during the second half of the XVIII century, during it some of the buildings in the neighborhood were demolished, and the area in front of the cathedral there.

From the cathedral of Metz is a legend, according to which its construction was the result of the architect deal with the devil, but the architect was able to break the treaty, and his soul and did not get the foul. The Council also referred to as "lamp of the Lord" for a large area (6, 5 thousand sq. Meters), stained-glass windows. Saint-Etienne is really a unique collection of stained-glass windows, some of which were made in the XIII, XIV and XVI centuries, another 19 paintings of colored glass executed in the second half of the XX century, Marc Chagall. One of the authors of stained glass - the master of the XIII century Herman Munster - had the honor of being buried in the walls of the cathedral. Also, as the architect of the Cathedral of Pierre Pen, supposedly to outwit the devil.