Lyon Cathedral (Saint-Jean)

About Saint-Jean Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist is Lyon's principal church and the archbishop's seat. A church stood here as early as Roman times, and the present cathedral was begun in 1180 on the ruins of a 6th-century church and finished only in 1476. Despite the long build, it's remarkably consistent.

Since 1079 Lyon's archbishop has held the title Primate of the Gauls, so the cathedral is also called the 'Primatiale'. Two ecumenical councils met here, in 1245 and 1274. Since 1998 the cathedral has been on the UNESCO list along with Lyon's historic centre.

What to see

• The façade — Gothic portals and a great rose window.
• The astronomical clock — 9 metres, angels and an astrolabe.
• The Bourbon chapel — 15th-century stone lace.
• The choir and apse — the Romanesque part.
• The altar crosses — mementoes of the 1274 council.
• Place Saint-Jean — a fountain and a view of Fourvière.

Romanesque choir, Gothic nave

The oldest part is the Romanesque apse and choir, with sober round arches. The nave and façade came later, in Gothic style: pointed vaults soar 32.5 metres, and the cathedral is 80 metres long inside.

Look for the 13th-century stained glass in the choir and the rose window of the west front. On either side of the altar stand two crosses kept since the Second Council of Lyon in 1274 as a symbol of church unity. Off the nave is the Bourbon chapel, built by Cardinal Charles of Bourbon and his brother, its stone carving a masterpiece of 15th-century sculpture.

The organ and music

A large organ, installed in 1841 and rebuilt in 1875, fills the cathedral with sound. Services with choir and organ concerts are held regularly, with times posted at the entrance.

The cathedral has inspired artists: in 1819 the English landscape painter J. M. W. Turner sketched it from Fourvière hill, and Edgar Degas painted a ceremony inside. During the December Festival of Lights, a light show plays across the façade.

The square and surroundings

In front of the cathedral is Place Saint-Jean, with a fountain, cafés and a view of Fourvière Basilica above. Next to the cathedral is the Romanesque Manécanterie, an 11th–12th-century former choir school that now displays the cathedral treasury.

From here the main streets of Vieux-Lyon, Rue Saint-Jean and Rue du Bœuf, run off with their Renaissance houses and traboules, and the lower funicular station for Fourvière is a few steps away.

Tips for your visit

Allow 30–45 minutes; to see the clock in action, come at the top of the hour and ask when the automata perform. Mornings are quieter, with lovely light through the choir windows.

The cathedral is a natural part of a walk round Vieux-Lyon, and afterwards the funicular takes you up to Fourvière Basilica.

Dress modestly and don't take photos during services. The entrance is level, easy with a pushchair.

Nearby and on the way

39

Vieux-Lyon

Lyon, France

2 h 30 min · Free · 4 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Vieux-Lyon

45

Fourvière Basilica

Lyon, France

1 h · Free · 7 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Fourvière Basilica

45

Place Bellecour

Lyon, France

40 min · Free · 9 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Place Bellecour

45

Lugdunum

Lyon, France

1 h 45 min · Theatres free; museum ticket · 10 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Lugdunum

How to do it right

• Clock at the top of the hour.
• Morning light in the glass.
• Cover shoulders and knees.
• Then the funicular to Fourvière.

Questions