Fourvière Roman Theatre, Lyon, France

The Roman theatre is a Roman ancient structure in Lyon built on the hill of Fourvière, which is located in the center of the Roman city.

The theatre was built in two steps: around 15 BC, a theatre with a 90 m diameter was built next to the hill. At the beginning of the 2nd century, the final construction added a last place for the audience. The diameter is 108 m, and there were seats for 10,000 people.

Having been well restored in the early twentieth century, the Grand Roman Theatre of Lyon is one of the oldest structures of its kind and a reminder of Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman city which would become Lyon. The site was generally abandoned by the third century AD.

Behind the theatre are further ruins, possibly the remains of the Temple of Cybele. The Grand Roman Theatre of Lyon is now used for performances. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lyon.

Nowadays, the theatre is primarily a tourist site, but it is still used as a cultural venue. Each year, the Nuits de Fourvière festival takes place in the theatre.

User Reviews

UnDiplomatic Wife (5 months ago)
Very interesting Roman ruin in French Lyon. It’s a nice place to hang out when the weather is good. The museum is a must to appreciate the history of the place.

Cristian Contreras (5 months ago)
The Roman theater boasts impressive architecture, showcasing the grandeur of ancient construction. Unfortunately, a live music event was taking place on the stage, which made it challenging to capture clear photographs of the site. Nevertheless, the historical significance and beauty of the theater are undeniable, and it remains a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and architecture admirers. Despite the temporary inconvenience, the ambiance created by the live performance added a unique charm to the experience.

anthony M (5 months ago)
What an amazing place to visit. I have been here a few times and will still come back one day to watch a concert. Easy to get to with a train station nearby. Clean and historical, amazing views of lyon. A little difficult to walk up if you have mobility problems but it is accessible to wheelchair users in certain areas. Also in walking distance to the nearby cathedral. Recommended

Mandy Davies (6 months ago)
Amazing place! The museum is so massive it's tricky where you are! The mosaics are beautiful, and many of them are intact. The amphitheatre is well worth seeing - much bigger and more dramatic than we were expecting.

Daniel White (6 months ago)
There was a lot of construction going on, but it was a cool site. Don’t miss the museum (I think it was 8€ per adult). It is a beautiful architectural design where you start at the top and wind your way down through the exhibits. The lowest level has a kids play area / discovery zone too. Many of the descriptions are only in French so you can use your iPhone camera to take pictures and use the text translate function to read the descriptions if desired.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright gwpics

Historic Site of the week

Abbey of Saint-Georges

Saint-Georges de Boscherville Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey. It was founded in about 1113 by Guillaume de Tancarville on the site of an earlier establishment of secular canons and settled by monks from the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. The abbey church made of Caumont stone was erected from 1113 to 1140. The Norman builders aimed to have very well-lit naves and they did this by means of tall, large windows, initially made possible by a wooden ceiling, which prevented uplift, although this was replaced by a Gothic vault in the 13th century. The chapter room was built after the abbey church and dates from the last quarter of the 12th century.

The arrival of the Maurist monks in 1659, after the disasters of the Wars of Religion, helped to get the abbey back on a firmer spiritual, architectural and economic footing. They erected a large monastic building one wing of which fitted tightly around the chapter house (which was otherwise left as it was).

Fourvière Roman Theatre

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Abbey of Saint-Georges