Lyon Things to Do

The Viste family gained their wealth, like so many other families during the rise of Lyon as one of the great trading capitals of the kingdom from the end of the XIV century. In the XV century they had a house built nowadays ni... more

The old Palais de Justice (the new one is located in the Part Dieu district) was built on the banks of the Saône by L.P. Baltard between 1835 and 1845, at a time when classical antiquity was in vogue for art and architecture. T... more

In 1905 Edouard Herriot, the mayor of Lyon, named Tony Garnier as the town's official architect. He had very specific theories about architecture (see Halle Tony Garnier) and imagined a Utopian self-sufficient city (with its ow... more

During the early-Christian era and the beginnings of the Western church, the word "ecclesia", the bishop's church, was used instead of cathedral. Archaeological excavations between 1973 and 1977 brought to light Lyon's Episcopa... more

The Parc Bazin, between Lyon and Villeurbanne, proves that there are large open spaces even right in the middle of residential areas such as that to the east of Part-Dieu. Children go there after school, walkers go there to gat... more

A chamarier was a canon responsible for security within the walls of a cathedral complex. The house which can still be seen rue Saint Jean was built between the late 15th and early 16th centuries against the North wall since on... more

During his reign, Louis 12 decided to fortify Lyon and had a number of forts built around the city one of which was St Jean (middle of 16th century). To give the garrisons easy access a road was built, which is now called "la m... more

The Parc de Gerland was officially opened on the 14th of July 2000 and is an extension to the parc du confluent linked along the left bank of the Rhône to the parc de la Tête . This new green area is reminiscent of the parc And... more

The Préfecture du Rhône was constructed by A. Louvier (1879-90) along the lines of the Hôtel de Ville de Lyon and the Palais du Commerce. The building had to fulfill the administrative requirements of the Préfecture (regional a... more

The oldest veterinary school (established in 1762), was transferred to this former 17th century convent in the early 19th century when, after the French Revolution, the St Elisabeth nuns were sent elsewhere. The architect Chabr... more