Lyon is an ancient city in France, located in the picturesque place of the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers. Lyon rightfully deserves the name historical, since the buildings in the area of the old city were erected in the Renaissance, and some in the Middle Ages. However, the city attracts not only with its historical status, but modernity has not bypassed it: the Confluence area on the Presqu'ille Peninsula is a confirmation of this. The city is famous for its trabules - narrow passages between buildings that connect Old Lyon with the Croix-Rousse area.
Holiday season in Lyon
You can relax in Lyon at any time of the year. The continental climate is formed on the one hand by the Mediterranean Sea, on the other - by the Alps. Snowless, dry winter gives way to precipitation and drizzle. During the day, the temperature can fluctuate, sometimes changing by ten degrees (the minimum average monthly temperature in January is +2, 8 degrees), and summer, on the contrary, is comfortable for life (the maximum temperature is + 20, 9 degrees in July). Heavy fogs and rains are observed in autumn and winter.
The most comfortable period for numerous excursions begins in May and ends in September. During these months, the weather in Lyon is warm, precipitation is rare. This weather is optimal for hiking and participating in festivals.
TOP 10 interesting places in Lyon
Church of Notre Dame de Fourvière
The church, built on the Fourvière hill in 1872-1884, or the Basilique Notre-Damede Fourvière, combines neo-Gothic and neo-Byzantine style. The gilded statue of the Virgin Mary, which is crowned with the belfry of the basilica, rises over the city and is visible from any point on it.
In 1643, during a plague epidemic, the heads of the city prayed to Our Lady in the Fourvière chapel for the protection of their hometown. And a miracle happened: Lyon was hardly hurt. And two centuries later, in memory of this event, a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected at the top of the chapel. The church has a peculiarity of the structure - the upper and lower floors, as well as four towers and a belfry. Inside you can see beautiful frescoes, stained glass windows and mosaics.
Cathedral Saint-Jean
The main temple of Lyon from the XII century. considered the Cathedral of Saint-Jean (Primatiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste), or the Cathedral of John the Baptist. It is located in the "spiritual center" of the city - the Saint-Jean quarter, between the Fourvière hill and the Saone. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The structure is made in the Romano-Gothic style and is surrounded by an "archaeological garden", where there are excavations of an early Christian baptistery of the 4th century, as well as the remains of two other churches of the 11th century. (St. Stephen and the Holy Cross), destroyed during the Great French Revolution.
The cathedral houses one of the world's oldest astronomical clocks from the 14th century. They hit only four times a day (from 12.00 to 16.00). The chiming of the clock is accompanied by religious mini-puppet shows, which is also a striking feature of the cathedral.
Roman ruins
Perhaps the most ancient and therefore mesmerizing landmark of Lyon is the Gallo-Roman amphitheater, which was built during the Roman Empire and got its name from the name of three Roman provinces. The approximate time of the construction of the 19th century amphitheater. BC. The legionnaires swore allegiance to the emperor in this very place, and also arranged the torture and execution of Christian martyrs in the 2nd century. Lyon is rich in the historical heritage of the Roman Empire, because in addition to the amphitheater of the Three Gauls, your interest will also be aroused by two other theaters:
- Great Roman Theater. The oldest and largest ancient Roman theater, the construction of which dates back to the 15th century. BC. The arena reaches 108 meters in diameter, its capacity inspires 30 thousand spectators - 25 sectors.
- Theater Odeon, or concert hall, also from the time of the Roman Empire. The Odeon together with the large theater form a grandiose and unique architectural ensemble.
Trabule
Trabule is a maze-like narrow alley. They were intended for faster movement between the streets. It should be noted that this is a unique feature of the architecture of Lyon alone, which you will not find in any other city in France. Like everything in Lyon, traboulay also belongs to the oldest architectural structures, dating back to the 4th century.
Trabule is presented in two versions: from the simplest one, connecting two streets, and to a multi-storey one, descending from the seventh floor to the first. During the French Revolution and World War II, people hid there, thanks to which they remained alive. The most impressive traboulet galleries stretch from the Place Saint-Paul to the Cathedral of Saint-Jean.
Opera lyon
The Lyon National Opera, or Opera Nouvelle, is one of the city's striking landmarks. The construction of the building began in the 19th century. and got its name in honor of the eminent architect Jean Nouvel. However, by the end of the twentieth century. only the foyer and the facades have survived from the old building. The upper part of the building is covered with an urban look. The façade houses the muses, symbolizing the importance of opera in the art world.
Surprisingly, getting a ticket to the show is pretty easy. In addition, tickets are affordable, and the website even states that everyone comes here: from ministerial officials to ordinary workers and it doesn't matter what you are wearing in an evening dress or jeans and sneakers.
Museum of Fine Arts
The city museum impresses with its combination of antiquity and modern masterpieces. Almost everything is presented here: from coins of Ancient Egypt to paintings and sculptures of our time. In 70 galleries there are canvases by Italian, French, Spanish, German painters of the XIV-XX centuries, such as Nicolo di Pietro, Perugino, Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, Paul Gauguin, El Greco, Rembrandt, Picasso and many others.
The sculpture gallery is valuable for its collections of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as well as masterpieces of the 19th-20th centuries. There are 1300 copies in total.
The hallmark of the Ancient Art Gallery is the art of Ancient Egypt. This collection includes the sarcophagi of Ptolemy III and Ptolemy IV, busts of pharaohs, utensils and many more historical artifacts of Ancient Egypt.
The art of the Middle East and Mesopotamia, arts and crafts, as well as the graphic department and the richest numismatic collection - all this is presented in the Lyon Museum of Fine Arts.
Museum of Textiles and Arts and Crafts
The Museum of Fabrics and Arts and Crafts is located in a building formerly owned by the Duke of Villerois. This museum complex consists of two separate buildings that display textiles in all their historical diversity.
The main exhibition includes about two million samples of textiles, costumes made of fabrics with religious ornaments and themes, and lace.
Also in the halls are placed items of the French interior of the XVIII century, allowing to recreate the atmosphere of that time. Antique flooring, silverware, fine china, jewelry, ceramics, etc.
If you want to visit this interesting museum, then just walk to the city center and find Place Bellecour. Near it you will find a museum.
The Eiffel Tower
The Fourvière Tower was built of metal at the end of the 19th century. The height of the tower is 86 meters. This colossal structure weighs 210 tons. The official and grand opening of the tower falls on 1894.
The building rises above the Rhone River and is considered one of the main attractions of Lyon. The project was based on a system of steel frames, externally completely repeating the Eiffel Tower. Its Lyon copy was installed as the arch of the 1914 World's Fair.
Currently, the tower is closed to the public, as it serves as a repeater. Back in 1953, the building was sold for 14 million francs to local television.
Aquarium
A modern aquarium on the outskirts of Lyon. It includes 47 swimming pools with a total area of 5 thousand square meters. m. Inside, in equipped aquariums live freshwater and marine inhabitants brought from the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. In total, there are 4900 species of marine fauna and flora.
A special excursion program has been developed for tourists. If you wish, you can dive into the aquarium under the guidance of an experienced instructor, get acquainted with the specifics of the life of the underwater kingdom, buy souvenirs on the ground floor of the building.
Educational and research excursions for schoolchildren deserve special attention. On weekdays, seminars are held in the aquarium on the topic of preserving various types of living organisms that live in the waters.
Place Bellecour and the Little Prince
Place Bellecour got its name from a vineyard that belonged to a French bishop in the 12th century. "Bella curtis" ("beautiful garden") is the third largest in the country (312 by 201 meters) and differs from others in that there are no green spaces on it. In the center of Bellecour there is a monument to Louis XIV, who was the initiator of the construction.
In the western part of the square there is a monument to Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The masterpiece belongs to the sculptor Christian Gilabier, who managed to portray the famous writer in the guise of a pilot. In addition to the writer himself, on the monument you can see his most famous hero: the little prince.
In the evenings, locals and tourists gather on Belcourt, who want to walk in a calm atmosphere, feel the colorful atmosphere of the city and ride a Ferris wheel, from where a beautiful view of the city opens.
