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.

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User Reviews

Juno Parrenas (3 years 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 (5 years ago)
A dormant place lost behind a building with few indications. You really have to look to find.

Le coin de Telum (5 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 (5 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 Klearchos Kapoutsis

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Beckov Castle

The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.

Historic Site of Lyons

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