Historic Site of Lyons, Lyon, France

The Historic Site of Lyons was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The long history of Lyons, which was founded by the Romans in the 1st century B.C. as the capital of the Three Gauls and has continued to play a major role in Europe's political, cultural and economic development ever since, is vividly illustrated by its urban fabric and the many fine historic buildings from all periods.

The specific regions composing the Historic Site include the Roman district and Fourvière, the Renaissance district (Vieux Lyon), the silk district (slopes of Croix-Rousse), and the Presqu'île, which features architecture from the 12th century to modern times. Both Vieux Lyon and the slopes of Croix-Rousse are known for their narrow passageways that pass through buildings and link streets on either side. The first examples of traboules are thought to have been built in Lyon in the 4th century.

References:

UNESCO

User Reviews

Juno Parrenas (5 months ago)
Google maps will misdirect you because it is surrounded by private property and the one public lane nearby is an upward slope that gives you a very limited view. Stick to the theater and the orpheum.

Arnaud Roguet (3 years ago)
A dormant place lost behind a building with few indications. You really have to look to find.

Le coin de Telum (3 years ago)
A surprising place in the heart of Lyon, green and pleasant for a family outing or meeting with friends. Place visited during a visit / game in Lyon.

Chris Conroy (3 years ago)
Its nice to see a piece of history but compared to others that you can find it was quite disappointing

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Elecé

Historic Site of the week

La Iruela Castle

The castle of La Iruela, small but astonishing, is located on the top of a steep crag in Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. From the castle, impressive views of the surrounding area and of the town can be enjoyed.

The keep dates from the Christian era. It has a square base and small dimensions and is located at the highest part of the crag.

There are some other enclosures within the tower that create a small alcázar which is difficult to access.

In a lower area of the castle, protected with defensive remains of rammed earth and irregular masonry, is an old Muslim farmstead.

After a recent restoration, an open-air theater has been built on La Iruela castle enclosure. This theater is a tribute to the Greek and Classic Eras and holds various artistic and cultural shows throughout the year.

History

The first traces of human activity in La Iruela area are dated from the Copper Age. An intense occupation continued until the Bronze Age.

Originally, La Iruela (like Cazorla) was a modest farmstead. From the 11th century, a wall and a small fortress were built on the hill to protect the farmers.

Around 1231, don Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, Archbishop of Toledo, conquered La Iruela and made it part of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla. Over the Muslim fortress, the current fortress was built.

Once the military use of the fortress ended, it was used as cemetery.

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