TheHôtel de Ville(French pronunciation:[otɛldəvil],City Hall) is the city hall ofLyon,France, and one of the largest historic buildings in the city. The building is located between thePlace des Terreauxand the Place de la Comédie, in front of theOpéra Nouvel.It was designated amonument historiqueby the French government in 1886.[1]
| Hôtel de Ville | |
|---|---|
 Main frontage of theHôtel de Villein November 2008 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | City hall |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival style |
| Location | Lyon, France |
| Coordinates | 45°46′03″N4°50′06″E/ 45.7676°N 4.8350°E |
| Completed | 1652 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Simon Maupin |
History
editMuch of Lyon was redeveloped in the 17th century, with thePresqu'îlebecoming the city centre. As part of the masterplan for the area the council decided to commission a new town hall for Lyon. The site they selected was between thePlace des Terreauxand the Place de la Comédie.[2]
Construction of the new building was deliberately timed to commence on the birthday of KingLouis XIV,5 September 1646.[3][4]It was designed bySimon Maupinin theRenaissance Revival style,builtashlarstone and the council held their first meeting there on 14 November 1652.[5]The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of nine bays facing west onto the Place des Terreaux with the end two bays on either side projected forward aspavilions.The central bay featured a square-headed doorway flanked byIonic ordercolumns supporting anentablature.The other bays on the ground floor were fenestrated by round-headed windows witharchitravesandkeystones.The bays on the first floor were fenestrated by square-headed windows with triangular pediment, while the bays on the second floor were fenestrated by segmental headed windows. In the centre bay on the second floor there was a half-reliefof KingLouis XIVon horseback, and at roof level, there was abalustradedparapetand some finely carved sculptures, as well as a central clock tower with adome.[6][7]The Grande Salle, the Staircase of Honour, the Salon de la Conservation, and the Salon de la Nomination were all decorated by the French painter,Thomas Blanchet.[8]
Following a fire on 13 September 1674,[9]the building, including its façade, was restored and modified to design byJules Hardouin-Mansartand his pupilRobert de Cotte.[10]
In March 1793, during theFrench Revolution,the building was under the control of a group of counter-revolutionaries, led byJoseph Chalier,who were inrevolt against the National Convention.This was brought to an end by thesiege of Lyonbetween August and October 1793.[11]The half-relief depicting King Louis XIV on horseback, in the middle of the façade was removed by the revolutionaries at this time. It was replaced during theRestorationwith a half-relief depicting KingHenry IVin the same posture.[9]
On 22 March 1871, inspired by the establishment of theParis Commune,a crowd of revolutionary guardsmen stormed the city hall and proclaimed the establishment of a similar commune in Lyon. They arrested the mayor and the prefect of the city. However, the insurrection only lasted a few days and on 25 March 1871, the revolutionaries left the building peacefully.[12]
In 2005, itsbelfrywas added to theUNESCOWorld Heritage Sitegroup of theBelfries of Belgium and France.[13]
Gallery
edit-
Mosaic representing the City Hall in the park of theMusée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon -
The City Hall during the siege of Lyon -
Illuminated facade, on the night -
The City Hall, pediment and belfry -
The court of honor
References
edit- ^Base Mérimée:PA00117820,Ministère français de la Culture.(in French)
- ^Hodder, Edwin (1881)."Map of Lyon".
- ^"Hôtel de Ville, Lyon".Divento.Retrieved8 October2024.
- ^Hamilton, Sarah (2016).Defining the Holy Sacred Space in Medieval and Early Modern Europe.Taylor and Francis.ISBN978-1351945615.
- ^"Council meetings BB206, folios 417–418".Archives of Lyon.Retrieved8 October2024.
- ^Nouvelle biographie générale depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours,Hoefer (Jean Chrétien Ferdinand), Firmin Didot frères (Paris), p 394
- ^"Hôtel de Ville".Archives Municipales Lyon.Retrieved8 October2024.
- ^Galactéros, Lucie (1991).Thomas Blanchet: 1614–1689.Paris: Arthena. pp. 153–154.ISBN978-2903239114.
- ^abDebidour,Laferrere,Lyon et ses environs,Arthaud editions, 2 October 1990 (ISBN978-2700301151)
- ^Jacques Louis Delpal,Merveille du Lyonnais et du Beaujolais,La Martinière editions, 2 January 1996 (ISBN978-2732420813)
- ^Suratteau, Jean-René(2005)."Lyon".Dictionnaire historique de la Révolution française. p. 690.
- ^Milza, Pierre (2009).L'année terrible: La Commune (mars–juin 1871)(in French). Paris: Perrin. pp. 158–160.ISBN978-2-262-03073-5.
- ^"Belfries of Belgium and France".UNESCO.Retrieved18 February2022.