Place Bellecour

The quarter of Bellecour was an alluvial island during the Gallo-Roman era, where military and commercial activities took place. The area had warehouses for traders and Gallo-Roman boatmen, known as Canabae, dating back to Roman times.

In the late 12th century, the archbishop of Lyon owned a vineyard in the area, called Bella curtis or Beau jardin in French, which was later abandoned and turned into a swamp.

In 1562, during the attack on Lyon by François de Beaumont, soldiers were stationed on the "Pré de Belle-cour."

In 1604, Henry IV forced the Lyon City Council to acquire the pasture and create a public square. However, the Archbishop's heirs challenged the order in court, resulting in a long trial.

In 1708, Louis XIV acquired ownership of the square, which was then named Place Royale. It was adorned with a bronze statue of the king by Martin Desjardins in 1715, and buildings with façades designed by Robert de Cotte were constructed around the square.

During the French Revolution, the square was renamed several times, including Place de la Fédération and Place de l'Égalité. An altar dedicated to Liberty and a guillotine were erected on the square in 1790 and 1792, respectively. The royal statue was destroyed in 1793.

On 21 June 1800, after his victory at Marengo, Napoleon I laid the foundation stone for new buildings, and the square was renamed Place Bonaparte and later Place Napoléon. In 1825, a new statue of Louis XIV was erected during the Bourbon Restoration.

Finally, during the French Third Republic, the square was given its current name, Place Bellecour.

Located in the heart of Presqu'île (peninsula), between the Saône and the Rhône rivers, in Lyon's 2nd arrondissement, lies a square that serves as the focal point of the city. The square is home to the Lyon tourist office and the central post office, and it is surrounded by the city's main shopping streets. Four major streets (two of which are pedestrianised) begin at this square: Rue de la République, leading to the Hôtel de Ville and the Opéra Nouvel; Rue Victor-Hugo and Rue du Plat, both of which lead to Perrache; and Rue du Président-Édouard-Herriot, which features a concentration of luxury shops and leads to the Place des Terreaux. Across the Saône, facing the square, are the quarter of Vieux Lyon and the Lyon Cathedral.

Place Bellecour marks the kilometer 0 of Lyon, with all distances in the city being counted from this point. The square's metro station, also named Bellecour, is the intersection of lines A and D. Additionally, the square is well-served by numerous bus routes, including 10, 14, and 88.

François-Frédéric Lemot's equestrian statue of Louis XIV stands at the center of the square, flanked by two allegorical statues of the Saône and the Rhône created by Nicolas and Guillaume Costou in 1720. Interestingly, the base of the statue was originally from a village in the Beaujolais region called Le Perréon. The statue was first created in 1713 but was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1793 to make cannons. In 1825, the current statue was sculpted in Paris by Lemot and transported to Lyon in twelve days using a coupling drawn by twenty-four horses. The entrance of the statue into the city was a festive occasion that drew a large audience.

In addition, there is a statue of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry sitting in front of the Little Prince, which was erected in 2000 to commemorate the aviator's centenary.

Place Bellecour hosts a variety of events throughout the year, such as an ice rink during winter, concerts, book fairs, and distributions of the "Petit Paumé". Demonstrations by students and trade unions also commonly pass through. Additionally, there is an annual pétanque competition during the weekend of Pentecost, and every Friday night, a roller ride starts at the square. Furthermore, a 60-meter Ferris wheel is installed during the winter, which used to be on Place Antonin Poncet, but was relocated to Place Bellecour in 2006 due to extensive construction works. The Ferris wheel is usually dismantled in early March.