The former St. Vincent Basilica in Metz embodies a history of profound transformation, its stones narrating a journey from a powerful medieval abbey to a modern cultural center. Its history begins in the 9th century as an oratory dedicated to St. Vincent of Saragossa, marking the site as one of continuous spiritual significance for over a thousand years. Originating as the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery founded in 968, the church grew to become a renowned center of pilgrimage and learning in the Christian West.

The defining chapter in its architectural history commenced in 1248 when Abbot Warin initiated the ambitious reconstruction of the earlier church in the radiant Rayonnant Gothic style. This reconstruction, which continued for over a century, resulted in a grand structure with a chevet flanked by two towers, bearing a plan similar to that of the Metz Cathedral.

The structure's journey through time is marked by both calamity and reinvention. A significant fire in 1395 damaged its towers, and in 1752, the central tower was struck by lightning, causing a collapse that destroyed the first two bays of the Gothic nave.

Following this destruction, the western facade was entirely reconstructed between 1768 and 1786. This pivotal renovation gave the basilica its definitive Neoclassical westwork. This impressive facade, modeled after the Saint-Gervais church in Paris, features the superimposition of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, a design that creates a striking counterpoint to the surviving Gothic architecture of the eastern sections. This new front, harmonized with the classical architectural tastes of the 18th century, stands in dramatic contrast to the surviving Gothic fabric of the eastern sections, showcasing the layered identity of the structure.

The French Revolution marked a dramatic secular turn for the abbey, leading to its suppression in 1790. The church was subsequently repurposed for various secular uses, including a military depot, before being restored to Catholic worship in 1804.

In 1933, the church was elevated to the status of a minor basilica.

Today, the building stands as a secularized monument, owned by the city of Metz. While it no longer serves as a parish church, its continued public use as a cultural venue ensures its role as a living part of the city's cultural landscape. The building is opened to the public for specific events and during the European Heritage Days. The former abbey's conventual buildings were transformed into the Lycée Fabert, which continues to occupy the site. Its interior, while having lost some of its original liturgical focus, retains the power to inspire through its surviving medieval frescoes and 19th-century stained glass windows.