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    Tourist Attractions in Lyon

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Lyon. Photos and a brief description.

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    About Lyon

    Since the beginning of our era, Lyon has played a leading economic and administrative role in the region. Roman emperors were born here, the first Christian churches were built and the largest fairs worked. Thanks to such a rich history, ancient amphitheatres and Baroque mansions of the XIX century quietly coexist in the city.

    There are many museums in Lyon that are of particular value to the whole of France. Local cathedrals have preserved the outlines of the Early Middle Ages, despite the heavy layer of centuries. The old city blocks are full of architectural surprises, which are discovered by enthusiastic tourists. A walk through Lyon is an unforgettable excursion into two thousand years of history, delight in local cuisine and, of course, vivid impressions of a truly French atmosphere.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Lyon

    Old Lyon

    The historical quarter at the foot of the Fourvier hill. Once upon a time there was an ancient settlement of Gauls on this place. A large number of attractions are concentrated in Old Lyon, there are restaurants of traditional cuisine – bouchons. The main development of the territory occurred during the XII-XVI centuries. Old Lyon is a combination of three quarters: Saint-Georges, Saint-Jean and Saint-Paul.

    Old Lyon
    Croix-Rousse Quarter

    Croix-Rousse Quarter

    A place where in the XIX century weavers moved en masse to a permanent place of residence. The name of the quarter came from the Croix-Rousse hill of the same name. As you know, Lyon has become the center of the textile industry of the country since the beginning of the XIX century, since it was here that the loom was invented. The professional community of workers in weaving factories grew rapidly, it needed more living space, and as a result, the weavers chose Croix-Russ.

    Trabuli

    Traboules are a unique feature of Lyon architecture. They are through passages through buildings that connect different streets. Trabuli were built in different architectural formats – in the form of covered galleries, alleys and narrow passages. Nowadays, these elements of the urban environment have turned into tourist sites. Mainly, the traboules are concentrated in the historical part of Lyon.

    Trabuli
    Bellecourt Square

    Bellecourt Square

    A picturesque square in the center of Lyon, which began to be actively built up since the XVII century. In the XIX century, the Napoleonic military parades took place here, today this place is one of the busiest in the city. In the central part of the square there is a monument in honor of the "sun King" Louis XIV, created by the sculptor F. Lemo. The brilliant monarch is depicted as a powerful Roman emperor.

    Lyon Town Hall

    The town hall was built in the middle of the XVII century according to the project of S. Maupin. The facade of the building overlooks the Terro Square, which a few centuries ago was just a dirty city market. Thanks to the construction of the town hall, Terreau was transformed and turned into the administrative center of Lyon. The architecture of the city council building is dominated by the Baroque style, the interior is decorated with valuable works of art.

    Lyon Town Hall
    Bartholdi Fountain

    Bartholdi Fountain

    The sculptural group of the fountain is located on the Terro Square. It was designed by the sculptor F. Bartholdi, who was the author of the famous American Statue of Liberty. The master was building a fountain for the city of Bordeaux, but the city authorities decided that they did not have enough funds to finance the project. As a result, the fountain was sold to Lyon. However, there is a legend that the Lyons simply stole the fountain from Bordeaux.

    Lyon Cathedral

    The main city temple, built in the XII-XV centuries. Materials extracted from the ruins of ancient Roman structures were used for its construction. The architecture of the cathedral harmoniously combines Romanesque and Gothic styles. The temple was looted during the French Revolution. It took one century for the authorities to undertake its restoration. The cathedral was restored only at the beginning of the XX century.

    Lyon Cathedral
    Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere

    Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere

    The temple of the second half of the XIX century, located on the top of the Fourvier hill. It was erected on the site of a 12th-century basilica destroyed during the confrontation between Catholics and Huguenots. Notre-Dame de Fourviere owes its appearance to the events of 1870, when the townspeople prayed for protection for Lyon from the Prussian troops and promised to build a temple if the heavenly powers would condescend to their requests. As a result, the enemy army never reached the city.

    Saint-Nizier Church

    The temple is dedicated to Saint Nikita, who lived in Lyon in the VI century. The church is located in the Preskil quarter. The structure was built in the Early Middle Ages on the ruins of a Roman temple, since then it has been rebuilt many times. The last major reconstruction was carried out in the XVI century. The oldest room of the church is a crypt dating from the VI century. It is located in the temple dungeons.

    Saint-Nizier Church
    Saint-Georges Church

    Saint-Georges Church

    The temple adorns the embankment of the Sona River. The church is built in the Gothic style. Judging by written evidence, it has existed since the IX century, but the modern building was erected later – in the XVI-XVII centuries. The last reconstruction was carried out in 1844 according to the project of P. Bossa na. During the restoration and the addition of new elements, we tried to preserve the original medieval appearance of the building as much as possible.

    Lyon Museum of Fine Arts

    The museum occupies the second place in cultural significance after the Louvre in Paris, as it has an invaluable collection of works of art of the XV-XX centuries. The museum collections contain exhibits belonging to the era of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Greece. Until the XVII century, the Benedictine monastery was located in the museum building, which was reconstructed by decree of Louis XIV. In the XIX century, the School of arts was located here.

    Lyon Museum of Fine Arts
    Lumiere Brothers House Museum

    Lumiere Brothers House Museum

    In Lyon, the Lumiere brothers staged their first experiments in the field of cinema. The museum, named after the pioneers of cinema, is located in the building of the former Lumiere family workshop. Here the brothers lived, worked and conducted experiments on transferring images to the screen. The museum's collection includes vintage films, photographic plates, the first "cinematographic" equipment, as well as the very first films.

    Confluence Museum

    The modern Museum of Natural History, opened in 2015. The futuristic building, which houses the collection, was built according to the project of the Austrian architectural bureau. Confluence is not only a static exposition, there are also many classrooms, a bookstore, workshops, cafes in the building. The project cost 185 million euros. The building really turned out to be grandiose and looked like an alien spaceship.

    Confluence Museum
    Museum of Miniatures and Film Decorations

    Museum of Miniatures and Film Decorations

    The museum collection is located in an old mansion of the XVI century – the House of Lawyers. The building is of great historical value and is under UNESCO protection. The exposition is quite original, as it allows you to look behind the scenes of the "dream factory" and understand how movie blockbusters are created. The museum exhibits miniatures of interiors, buildings, as well as decorations that were involved in the filming of famous films.

    Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilization

    The museum was founded in 1975. It is located in a historical place on the Fourvier hill – where a Gallo-Roman settlement has existed since ancient times. The exposition consists of archaeological finds obtained as a result of excavations on the territory of Lyon and the surrounding area. After studying local artifacts, you can get an impression of how the daily life of the Gauls and Romans went, what religious beliefs prevailed in that era and how people spent their free time.

    Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilization
    The ancient theater on the Fourvier Hill

    The ancient theater on the Fourvier Hill

    The building belongs to the era of Ancient Rome, it was erected in the I century BC. In the second century after the advent of our era, the theater was expanded and began to accommodate up to 10 thousand people. Basically, musical comedies were played on the stage, as evidenced by the stone wall, which perfectly reflects sound waves and creates a good stereo effect. The theater was excavated in the XIX century, since the beginning of the XX century, a number of restoration works have been carried out.

    Amphitheater of the Three Gallies

    Ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater located on the slopes of Croix-Rousse. During the reign of the Roman Empire, the "Council of the Three Gauls" — the imperial provinces of Belgica, Lugdunian Gaul and Aquitaine - gathered at this place. This event was always accompanied by magnificent celebrations, games and performances that took place on the territory of the amphitheater. The scene was discovered as a result of excavations of the XIX-XX centuries.

    Amphitheater of the Three Gallies
    Hotel-Die

    Hotel-Die

    An architectural monument of the XVII century. Initially, the building was used as a hotel for visiting clergy, then it was converted into a hospital. It should be noted that the hospital is still functioning. The structure is built in the classical style and is crowned with a monumental dome. In 2011, the complex was recognized as an architectural monument and the process of withdrawing existing medical institutions from its borders began.

    Lyon Opera

    The Opera stage of Lyon, located in a building built in 1993. The first musical theater appeared in Lyon in the middle of the XVIII century. But, as often happens, the building became dilapidated and was demolished, replaced with a more modern and spacious one. But having preserved in appearance some historical elements of the facade of 1831. The auditorium of modern construction is designed for 1100 seats, which is not very much for Lyon, given its half-million population.

    Lyon Opera
    Exchange Palace

    Exchange Palace

    A magnificent building in the style of classicism and Baroque, decorating the space between the central squares of Bellecourt and Terro. The building was erected in the XIX century during the highest economic heyday of Lyon. The grand facade consists of many arched windows, columns and decorative elements. The interior is artfully decorated with sculptural compositions and paintings by skilled craftsmen.

    Metal Tower Fourvier

    A metal structure erected at the end of the XIX century in imitation of the Paris Eiffel Tower. Since the middle of the XX century, the structure has been used as a TV tower. The height of the structure reaches 85.9 meters, the height above the level of the Saone River is 350 meters, which corresponds to the parameters of the Eiffel Tower. The structure was erected in opposition to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere as a monument of republican architecture.

    Metal Tower Fourvier
    Fresco

    Fresco "Le Mur Des Canuts"

    A street mural adorning the facade of one of the buildings on Croix-Rousse Hill. The painting was created in 1986, but since then the image has been significantly supplemented. The painting depicts the daily life of the residents of the quarter, houses, stairs, people, townspeople resting on terraces and visiting shops. From a distance, the drawing seems very realistic, from the first time it is difficult to understand where the real characters are and where they are drawn.

    Fresco "Fresque des Lyonnais"

    A unique fresco depicting events from the history of France. The painting was created in the 90s of the XX century. The focus is on famous personalities who have left a mark on the history of the country, artists and even book characters. On the fresco you can see A. de Saint-Exupery, the Lumiere brothers, P. Bocuse, Emperor Claudius and other historical figures. The fresco is executed very skillfully and creates the effect of an animated picture.

    Fresco
    Golden Head Park

    Golden Head Park

    A city park in the northern part of Lyon, which is considered the largest in France. Within its limits there is a zoo, a botanical garden, rose gardens, spaces for cycling and sports. There are also artificial reservoirs where you can take a boat ride. The park was formed in the middle of the XIX century on lands that once belonged to the aristocratic Lambert family.

    The Feast of Light

    The annual Festival of Light, which is held in Lyon in December and lasts 3 nights in a row. The history of the holiday began in the XVII century, when grateful citizens praised the Virgin Mary for ridding the city of the plague and lit lights in her honor on the streets. During the festival, the audience is shown bizarre light installations. At this time, about 4 million tourists from different countries and from France itself come to Lyon.

    The Feast of Light