History
 |
Lugdunum
Lyon was founded as a Roman colony in 43 BC.Lyon was first named Lughunum meaning the "hill of lights" or "the hill of crows". Lug was equated by the Romans to Mercury.The three parts of Gaul mentioned by Caesar met at Lyon. Agrippa recognized that Lugdunum's position on the natural highway from northern to south-eastern France made it a natural communications hub, and he made Lyon the starting point of the principal Roman roads throughout Gaul. It then became the capital of Gaul, partly thanks to its fortunate site at the convergence of two navigable rivers, and quickly became the main city of Gaul.
Burgundian refugees from the destruction of Worms by Huns in 437 were resettled by the military at Lugdunum, which was formally the capital of the new Burgundian kingdom. |
The fairs in Lyon, the invention of Italian merchants, made it the economic countinghouse of France in the late 15th century. When international banking moved to Genoa, then Amsterdam, Lyon simply became the banking centre of France; its new Bourse (treasury), built in 1749, still resembled a public bazaar where accounts were settled in the open air. During the Renaissance, the city developed with the silk trade, especially with Italy; the Italian influence on Lyon's architecture can still be seen. Thanks to the silk trade, Lyon became an important industrial town during the 19th century.
The silk workers of Lyon, known as canuts, staged two major uprisings: in 1831 and 1834. The 1831 uprising saw one of the first recorded uses of the black flag as an emblem of protest.
Lyon was a centre for the occupying German forces and also a stronghold of resistance during World War II, and the city is now home to a resistance museum. (See also Klaus Barbie.) The traboules, or secret passages, through the houses enabled the local people to escape Gestapo raids.
|
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Saint-Jean and the Croix-Rousse areas, which are noted for their narrow passageways (traboules) that pass through buildings and link the streets either side, were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1998 |
.
Geography and culture
|
|
Lyon's geography is dominated by the Rhône and Saône rivers which converge to the south of the historic city centre forming a sort of peninsula or "presqu'île"; two large hills, one to the west and one to the north of the historic city centre; and a large plain which sprawls eastward from the historic city centre.
To the west is Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays", the location for the highly decorated Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica, several convents, the palace of the Archbishop, the Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower, replicating the last stage of the Eiffel Tower) and a funicular.
To the north is the Croix-Rousse, "the hill that works", traditionally home to many small silk workshops, an industry for which the city was renowned. |
The original medieval city (Vieux Lyon) was built on the west bank of the Saône river at the foot of the Fourvière hill, west of the presqu'île. (This area, along with portions of the presqu'ile and much of the Croix-Rousse are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). On the peninsula (presqu'ile) between the rivers Rhône and Saône is located the third largest public square in France, and one of the largest in Europe, the Place Bellecour. Specifically, it is the largest clear square (i.e., without any patches of greenery, trees or any other kind of obstacles) in Europe.[ The broad, pedestrian-only Rue de la République leads north from Place Bellecour
East of the Rhône from the presqu'ile is a large area of flat ground upon which sits much of modern Lyon and most of the city's population. Situated in this area is the urban centre of Part-Dieu which clusters the former Credit Lyonnais Tower (central France's only skyscraper), the Part-Dieu shopping centre, and Lyon's main rail terminal, Lyon Part-Dieu.
North of this district is the relatively wealthy 6th arrondissement, which is home to the Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of Europe's largest urban parks, the prestigious Lycée du Parc to the south of the park, and Interpol's headquarters on the park's western edge.
Transport
Air
Saint-Exupéry International Airport is located 20 km to the east of Lyon, and serves as a base for regional and international flights.
Rail
Lyon is connected to the north (Lille, Paris, Brussels) and the south (Marseille, Montpellier) by the TGV. It was the first city to be connected by the TGV c. 1981.
Lyon has two major railway stations: Lyon Part-Dieu, which was built to accommodate the TGV and has become the principal railway station for extra-regional trains; and Lyon Perrache, which is an older station that now primarily serves regional rail services. In practice, many trains, including TGVs, serve both stations. Smaller railway stations include Gorge de Loup, Vaise, Venissieux and St-Paul.
Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport is also directly connected to the TGV network with its own station.
Road
The City is at the heart of a dense road network and is the meeting point of several motorways: A6 (to Paris), A7 (to Marseille, A42 (to Geneve), A43 (Grenoble). The city is now bypassed by the A46.
Intercity coach
Lyon is served by the Eurolines intercity coach organisation. Its Lyon terminal is located at the city's Perrache railway station.
Public Transportation
Further information: Lyon Metro and Tramways in Lyon
The TCL (French: Transports en Commun Lyonnais), Lyon's public transport system, consisting of metros, buses and trams, serves 62 communes of the Lyon agglomeration. The metro system has 4 lines, 38 stations and runs with a frequency of up to a metro every 2 minutes. The bus system consists of normal buses, trolleybuses and coaches for areas outside the centre, but which operate on the same ticketing scheme. There are three tram lines since December 2006: T1 from from Montrochet in the south to IUT-Fessine in the north, Tram T2 from Perrache station in the southwest to Saint-Priest in the southeast, and Tram T3 from Part-Dieu to Meyzieu.
The public transit system is complemented by Vélo'v, a bicycle network providing a low cost and convenient bicycle hire service where bicycles can be hired and dropped off at any of several hundred stations throughout the city.
