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Origin and history

La Manécanterie de Lyon, located in the Saint-Jean district, is adjacent to the cathedral of the same name and was part of its former cloister. Originally built as a common place of life for the canons around the year 800 under the impulse of Archbishop Leidride, it is mentioned in a letter addressed to Charlemagne. This building, whose foundations are based on vestiges of the second and eighth centuries, is considered the oldest Lyon building after Roman constructions. Its southern monumental arch, contemporary of Leidride's letter, housed the canon refectory throughout the Romanesque period.

In the 12th century, the western facade, in Romanesque style, was enriched with sculptures mixing Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine influences. The western gate has a similar decor to that of the abside of St. Martin's Basilica of Ainay. During the lower Middle Ages and the modern era, the building underwent major transformations, such as the elevation of the road or the piercing of windows. The statues of saints on the facade symbolize the disciplines taught (religion, music, geometry, astronomy). In 1562, the Protestant troops of Baron des Adrets damaged the sculptures during the capture of Lyon.

From the 16th to the 18th century, the Manecanterie was changed architecturally (addition of one floor, filling of arches) and became a singing school for the clergy ("great room of clergeons"). In the 18th century, part of the cloister was destroyed to build a "New Manecanterie", but the French Revolution interrupted the work, saving the old one. Classified as a historical monument in 1862, it has been home since 1930 to the Treasure of St John's Cathedral, constituted by Cardinals Fesch and Bonald, exhibiting liturgical objects from the 5th to the 20th century.

Archaeological excavations could never reach the foundations of the building, limiting knowledge of its precise origins. The oldest part identified, dating from the second century, probably belonged to a larger building destroyed by fire in the fourth century. The southern monumental arch, attributed to the Carolingian period, remains a key testimony of its primitive history. The Manecanterie thus illustrates almost twelve centuries of architectural and religious evolution in Lyon.

Today, the monument, managed by the National Monuments Centre and the Rhône Departmental Council, is visited from inside the cathedral. Its museum features a goldsmith's collection, ancient books, limo enamels and liturgical clothing, reflecting Lyon's religious heritage from the Byzantine era to the present day.

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