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Lyon

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

                               Ville de Lyon

   Flag of Lyon
                                    Coat of arms of Lyon
      City flag                       City coat of arms
   Motto: Avant, avant, Lion le melhor.
   ( Arpitan: Forward, forward, Lyon the best)
                                  Location

   Image:Paris_plan_pointer_b_jms.gif
   Map highlighting the commune of Lyon
   Coordinates      45°46′1″N, 4°50′3″E
   Time Zone        CET (GMT +1)
                               Administration
   Country          France
   Région           Rhône-Alpes
   Département      Rhône (69)
   Subdivisions     9 arrondissements
   Intercommunality Urban Community
                    of Lyon
   Mayor            Gérard Collomb  ( PS)
                    (since 2001)
                              City Statistics
   Land area¹       47.87 km²
   Population²      3rd in France
    - 2004 estimate 465,300
    - Density       9,720/km² (2004)
                                Urban Spread
   Urban Area       954 km² (1999)
    - Population    1,348,832 (1999)
   Metro Area       3,306 km² (1999)
    - Population    1,648,216 (1999)
   ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1
   km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
   ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of
   multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).
                                  France

   Lyon (traditionally Lyons in English and Liyon in Arpitan; pronounced
   /ljɔ̃/ in French) is a city in east central France. The third largest
   French city, it is a major centre of business, situated between Paris
   and Marseille, and has a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy
   and a significant role in the history of cinema.

   Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the second
   largest metropolitan area in France after Paris, with 1,648,216
   inhabitants at the 1999 census, and approximately the 20th to 25th
   largest metropolitan area of Western Europe.

   Lyon is the préfecture (capital) of the Rhône département, and also the
   capital of the Rhône-Alpes région.

   The city gave its name to the Lyonnais province, of which it was the
   capital. Today the region around Lyon is still known as Lyonnais
   (French: le Lyonnais), or sometimes even as the Lyonnaise Region
   (French: Région Lyonnaise). Lyonnaise Region is an unofficial, popular
   name, not to be confused with the administrative région of Rhône-Alpes,
   which is much larger than the Lyonnaise Region.

   Lyon is also the international headquarters of Interpol.

Geography

   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
   westward 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, see
   below.)

   On the peninsula (presqu'ile) between the rivers Rhône and Saône, is
   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 largest pedestrian square 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.
   Three of the main sights in Lyon, the Cathedral St-Jean, the Basilica
   Notre Dame de Fourvière, and the Tour métallique de Fourvière.
   Enlarge
   Three of the main sights in Lyon, the Cathedral St-Jean, the Basilica
   Notre Dame de Fourvière, and the Tour métallique de Fourvière.
   Place Bellecour in Central Lyon, seen from the Fourvière hill.
   Enlarge
   Place Bellecour in Central Lyon, seen from the Fourvière hill.

   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 sixth arrondissement
   which is home to the Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of Europe's largest
   urban parks, and Interpol's headquarters.
   The arrondissements of Lyon.
   Enlarge
   The arrondissements of Lyon.

Administration

   Lyon is the capital of the Rhône-Alpes région, the préfecture of the
   Rhône département, and the capital of 14 cantons, covering 1 commune,
   and with a total population of 445,452 (1999).

Arrondissements

   Lyon, similarly to Marseille and Paris is divided into 9 municipal
   arrondissements (often translated into English as borough), referred to
   by number. The arrondissements were originally created in 1852 when a
   number of surrounding communes ( Croix-Rousse, Guillotière, and Vaise)
   were annexed to Lyon. In 1963 Lyon annexed the commune of
   Saint-Rambert-l'Île-Barbe, and in 1964 the 9th arrondissement of Lyon
   was created as a result of the annexation, thus reaching a total of
   nine arrondissements, which are still the arrondissements found in Lyon
   today. Within each arrondissement, there are a number of recognisable
   "quartiers" or neighborhoods:
     * 1st arrondissement: Pentes de la Croix-Rousse, Les Terreaux,
       Saint-Vincent
     * 2nd arrondissement: Cordeliers, Bellecour, Ainay, Perrache et
       Confluent
     * 3rd arrondissement: La Part-Dieu, La Villette, Montchat, La
       Guillotière, Sans-souci
     * 4th arrondissement: La Croix-Rousse, Serin
     * 5th arrondissement: Saint-Jean- Saint-Paul - Saint-Georges (Vieux
       Lyon), Saint-Just, Fourvière, Le Point-du-Jour, Ménival, Champvert,
       La Sarra, Saint-Irénée
     * 6th arrondissement: Les Brotteaux, Bellecombe, Tête d'Or
     * 7th arrondissement: La Guillotière, Gerland, La Mouche
     * 8th arrondissement: Monplaisir, Le Bachut, Mermoz, États-Unis, Le
       Grand Trou, Moulin à Vent, Laënnec, Grange-Blanche
     * 9th arrondissement: Vaise, La Duchère, Saint-Rambert-l'Île-Barbe

History

   Lyon was founded as a Roman colony in 43 BCE by Munatius Plancus, a
   lieutenant of Caesar, on the site of a Gaulish hill-fort settlement
   called Lug[o]dunon—from the Celtic sun god Lugus ('Light', cognate to
   Old Irish Lugh, Modern Irish Lú) and dúnon (hill-fort). The name was
   latinised as Lugdunum; Lug was equated by the Romans to Mercurius.
   Lug's ' totem' was a cockerel (rooster), hence the Modern French
   association with 'le coq'.

   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. Two emperors were born in this
   city: Claudius and Caracalla. In our days, the archbishop of Lyon is
   still referred to as " le primat des Gaules".
   Lyon's 18th century city office.
   Enlarge
   Lyon's 18th century city office.

   The Christians in Lyon were persecuted for their religious views under
   the reigns of the Roman emperors Marcus Aurelius and Septimus Severus.
   These included saints such as Blandina (Blandine), Pothinus, and
   Epipodius, among others.

   The great Christian bishop of Lyon in the 2nd century was the Easterner
   Irenaeus.

   Burgundian refugees from the destruction of Worms by Huns in 437 were
   resettled by the military commander of the west, Aëtius, at Lugdunum,
   which was formally the capital of the new Burgundian kingdom by 461.

   In 843, by the Treaty of Verdun, Lyon, with the country beyond the
   Saône, went to Lothair I.

   Fernand Braudel remarked, "Historians of Lyon are not sufficiently
   aware of the bi-polarity between Paris and Lyon, which is a constant
   structure in French development" from the late Middle Ages to the
   Industrial Revolution (Braudel 1984 p. 327). 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.
   This bridge bears a declaration saying it was destroyed by Germans in
   WWII, and rebuilt in homage to the fallen.
   Enlarge
   This bridge bears a declaration saying it was destroyed by Germans in
   WWII, and rebuilt in homage to the fallen.

   Lyon was a scene of mass violence against Huguenots in the St.
   Bartholomew's Day Massacres in 1572.

   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 town 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.

Culture

   The "Fête des Lumières" expresses gratitude to the Virgin Mary.
   Enlarge
   The "Fête des Lumières" expresses gratitude to the Virgin Mary.

   As early as the 13th century, the Arpitans, residents of the region
   spoke a dialect of the Arpitan (often called the Franco-Provençal
   language too). This Lyonnais dialect was replaced by the French
   language as the importance of the city grew. Lyon was an early centre
   for printing books, and nurtured a circle of 16th century poets. For
   several centuries Lyon and its bouchons have been known as the capital
   of gastronomy, fine handweaving, and the silk trade. The Lumière
   brothers invented cinema in the town in 1895. December 8 each year is
   marked by "la Fête des lumières" (the Festival of Lights), a
   celebration of thanks to the Virgin Mary, who purportedly saved the
   city from a deadly plague in the Middle Ages. During the event, the
   local population places candles in their windows and the city of Lyon
   organizes and projects impressive large-scale light shows onto the
   sides of important Lyonnais monuments, such as the mediaeval Cathédral
   St-Jean.

   Two of France's best known wine-growing regions are located near Lyon:
   the Beaujolais to the North, and the Côtes du Rhône to the South.

   Lyon also features a renowned opera house.

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.
   A photograph from Fourvière showing the nuclear powerstation of the
   Bugey (Ain) in the distance, 30 km away.
   Enlarge
   A photograph from Fourvière showing the nuclear powerstation of the
   Bugey ( Ain) in the distance, 30 km away.

Colleges and universities

     * CPE Lyon
     * École Centrale de Lyon
     * ECAM Lyon (École Catholique d'Arts et Métiers de Lyon)
       http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECAM http://www.ecam.fr
     * EM Lyon (École de Management de Lyon)
     * École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
     * École Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines
     * École Nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon
     * Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon
     * Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
     * Institution des Chartreux http://www.leschartreux.com
     * Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I)
     * Université Louis Lumière (Lyon II)
     * Université Jean Moulin (Lyon III)
     * Université Catholique de Lyon
     * Université professionelle internationale de Lyon (UPIL)
     * ESDES Business School
     * École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État
     * La Martiniere Lyon

   The basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which overlooks the city.
   Enlarge
   The basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which overlooks the city.
   The Roman-era Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules
   Enlarge
   The Roman-era Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules

Main sights

     * Tour métallique de Fourvière ( 1894)
     * La Mouche Cattle Market and Abbatoir ( 1914, 1928), designed by
       Tony Garnier.
     * Sainte Marie de La Tourette monastery ( 1960) designed by Le
       Corbusier
     * Saint-Exupéry International Airport (formerly Satolas Airport,
       1975), designed by Guillaume Gilbert.
     * Opéra National de Lyon, renovated in 1993 by Jean Nouvel.
     * Lyon Airport Railway Station ( 1994) by Santiago Calatrava.
     * Cité Internationale ( 1998), designed by Renzo Piano.
     * Cathédrale Saint-Jean
     * Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.
     * Basilica of St-Martin-d'Ainay.
     * The church of Ainay, dating from the tenth and eleventh centuries,
       is of the Byzantine style.
     * The doorway of St. Nizier's (fifteenth century) was carved in the
       sixteenth century by Philibert Delorme.

Transport

Air

   Saint-Exupéry International Airport is located 20 km to the east of
   Lyon, and serves as a base for regional and low-cost flights, including
   EasyJet. Long haul flights generally depart from Paris's Charles de
   Gaulle Airport.

Rail

   Lyon is connected to the North (Lille, Paris) and the South (Marseille,
   Montpellier) by the TGV. It was the first city to be connected by the
   TGV c. 1982.

   Lyon has two major train stations: Lyon-Part-Dieu, which was built to
   accommodate the TGV and has become the principal train station for
   extra-regional trains; whereas Lyon-Perrache is an older station that
   now primarily serves regional rail transport. In practice, many trains,
   including TGVs, serve both stations. Smaller train stations include
   Gorge de Loup, Vaise and Venissieux.

Road

   The City is at the heart of a dense road network and is the joing point
   of several motorways: A7 but also the A43, A40 and routes ationales RN7
   and RN6. The city is now bypassed by the A48.

Intercity coach

   Lyon is served by the Eurolines intercity coach organisation. Its Lyon
   terminal is located at the Lyon-Perrache train station.

Public transport

   The TCL (French:Transports en Commun Lyonnais), Lyon's public
   transport, consisting of metros, buses and trams, serves 62 communes of
   the Lyon agglomeration. The metro system has 4 lines, including one
   fully-autonomous one, 38 stations and runs with a frequency of up to a
   metro every 2.5 minutes. The bus system consists of normal buses,
   trolley buses powered by overhead lines, and coaches for areas outside
   the centre, but which operate on the same ticketing scheme. There are
   two tram lines, running from Montrochet in the south to IUT-Fessine in
   the north, and from Perrache station in the southwest to Saint-Priest
   in the southeast.

   Lastly, Vélo'v is a bicycle network providing a low cost and convenient
   bicycle hire service where bicycles can be hired at dropped of at any
   of several hundred stations throughout the city. However, the bicycle
   rent stations are only in french which might cause some trouble for
   non-french speaking travelers.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
