Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Parc de la Tête d'Or has its origins in a marshy estate called Grange Lambert, mentioned in 1530 as property of the Lambert family, then of the Hôtel-Dieu in 1662. His name would come from a legend evoking a treasure buried by barbarians or crusaders, including a head of Christ in gold. Until the 19th century, the site, floodable and composed of dead arms of the Rhône (lônes) and swamps (brotteaux), remained in the wild.

The idea of an urban park emerged in 1812, with successive projects for the Presquíle or Fourvière. In 1845, architect Christophe Crépet proposes to transform the lands of the Golden Head into a wood inspired by Bois de Boulogne. This project is taken over by the Prefect Claude-Marius Vaïsse, who wishes to "give nature to those who do not". In 1856, the civil Hospices of Lyon gave way, and the works began under the direction of the Swiss landscapers Denis and Eugene Bühler, as well as the engineer Gustave Bonnet. The park opened in 1857, although not completed, at the same time as Central Park in New York.

Designed in English with undulating lawns and a 16-hectare lake, the park quickly incorporates iconic equipment: large greenhouses (1865), velodrome (1894), fence (1896), and greenhouses (1899). The monument to the dead of the Swan Island (1914–1930) and the rose garden (1961–1964) later completed its landscape. The park also houses a zoological garden (from 1858) and one of the richest botanical gardens in Europe, with 15,403 plants listed in 2020.

The park is marked by innovations, such as the first car registration system in the world in 1891, born of a temporary device to identify vehicles running in its driveways. A symbol of Lyon life, it hosts cultural events, relaxation areas (theatre of Guignol, mini-golf, restaurants) and sports facilities, including the velodrome, renovated in 1934 and approved for international competitions. Today, there is still a major green lung in the agglomeration, accessible for free.

Its lake, fed by the Rhône table, consists of two islands: the island of Tamaris (accessible by boat) and the island of Remembrance, memorial to soldiers dead in combat, designed by Tony Garnier and Jean-Baptiste Larrivé. The park, bordered by the boulevard des Belges and its cossue villas, illustrates the urban evolution of Lyon, mixing natural heritage, scientific (collaboration with the veterinary school) and historical.

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