World Heritage Identification Number: 872
World Heritage since: 1998
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇫🇷 France
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
Map
A Journey Through Time: Exploring the Historic Site of Lyon, France
The Historic Site of Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, offers a captivating journey through time that showcases the rich history, culture, and architectural evolution of this remarkable French city. Situated along the confluence of the Rhone and Saône rivers, Lyon boasts a unique blend of Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and Modernist influences, making it a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and architecture aficionados alike.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The long history of Lyon, 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.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): Lyon bears exceptional testimony to the continuity of urban settlement over more than two millennia on a site of great commercial and strategic significance, where cultural traditions from many parts of Europe have come together to create a coherent and vigorous continuing community.
Criterion (iv): By virtue of the special way in which it has developed spatially, Lyon illustrates in an exceptional way the progress and evolution of architectural design and town planning over many centuries.
Encyclopedia Record: Vieux Lyon
Vieux Lyon is the largest Renaissance district of Lyon. In 1964, Vieux-Lyon, the city's oldest district, became the first site in France to be protected under the Malraux law to protect France's cultural sites. Covering an area of 424 hectares between the Fourvière hill and the river Saône, it is one of Europe's most extensive Renaissance neighborhoods. There are three distinct sections: Saint Jean, Saint Paul and Saint Georges. In 1998, Vieux Lyon was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other districts in Lyon because of its historical importance and architecture.Additional Site Details
Area: 427 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 45.76722 , 4.83333
Image
© Karldupart, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
