# Lyon Cathedral (Saint-Jean) > Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral is Lyon's cathedral, on Place Saint-Jean in Vieux-Lyon at the foot of Fourvière hill. It took nearly three hundred years to build, from 1180 to 1476: a Romanesque apse and choir flow into a Gothic nave and façade with a rose window. Inside are a nine-metre astronomical clock with moving figures, the Bourbon chapel with its 15th-century carving, and stained glass. Lyon's archbishop holds the ancient title of Primate of the Gauls. Free; allow 30–45 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/lyon-cathedral - City: [Lyon](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon), France - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Daily by day, quieter during services - Built: 1180–1476 - Astronomical clock: 9 m, with automata - Duration: ≈ 30–45 minutes - Location: Place Saint-Jean, Vieux-Lyon - Coordinates: 45.76083, 4.82722 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1180** — construction began (source: English Wikipedia) - **80 m** — length of the cathedral (source: English Wikipedia) - **9 m** — height of the astronomical clock (source: English Wikipedia) - **1274** — Second Council of Lyon (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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 astronomical clock** In the north transept stands a nine-metre **astronomical clock**. A clock here is first recorded in 1383; the present one was built in 1661 by Guillaume Nourrisson. Its astrolabe shows the positions of the Sun, Moon and stars, and when it strikes, figures come alive: angels ring bells, the Virgin turns to the Angel Gabriel and a Swiss Guard circles the dome. Ask at the cathedral whether the automata are running. ## 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. ## How to get there 1. Metro D to Vieux-Lyon–Cathédrale Saint-Jean, which exits right by the cathedral. 2. On foot from Place Bellecour, 10 minutes across the Saône bridge. 3. From Fourvière hill, by funicular down to Vieux-Lyon. 4. The entrance is on Place Saint-Jean. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/vieux-lyon), and afterwards the funicular takes you up to [Fourvière Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/fourviere-basilica). Dress modestly and don't take photos during services. The entrance is level, easy with a pushchair. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Find the astronomical clock - [ ] See the Bourbon chapel - [ ] Look at the choir windows - [ ] Spot the 1274 crosses by the altar - [ ] Take the funicular up afterwards ## Places in Lyon: compare and choose Places in Lyon rated by YesGo. - [Fourvière Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/fourviere-basilica) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Saint-Jean Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/lyon-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Saint-Jean is the cathedral down in Vieux-Lyon; Fourvière is the white basilica on the hill above it. ## Tips - Clock at the top of the hour. - Morning light in the glass. - Cover shoulders and knees. - Then the funicular to Fourvière. ## Questions ### Is Lyon Cathedral free? Yes, entry is free. ### Where is Saint-Jean Cathedral? On Place Saint-Jean in Vieux-Lyon, by Vieux-Lyon metro station. ### What is there to see in Saint-Jean Cathedral? The astronomical clock, the Bourbon chapel, the stained glass and the rose façade. ### How long do I need at the cathedral? 30–45 minutes. ### How is the cathedral different from Fourvière? The cathedral is medieval and down below; the basilica is 19th-century, on the hill. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Opening hours and the clock's automata display weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Lyon Cathedral and Lyon astronomical clock - Lyon tourist office, visiterlyon.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.