Origin and history
The Saint-Bonaventure Basilica of Lyon, located in the Cordeliers district on the Presqu'île, is the only medieval building remaining in the north of the 2nd arrondissement after the Haussmannian breakthroughs of the Second Empire. Its history is linked to the Franciscan convent, installed on this site as early as 1226 thanks to a legacy of the Sénéchal of Grolée. These monks, nicknamed "strings" because of their rope belt, gave their name to the neighborhood. The present church, built from 1325 under the impulse of Jacques de Grolée, replaces a first convent chapel too small. It houses the relics of Cardinal Bonaventure de Bagnoregio, who died at the Council of Lyon in 1274 and was buried there.
The building, exceptionally oriented towards the south in contrast to traditional Gothic churches, was consecrated in 1328 but remained unfinished until the 1450–80s, thanks to the funding of Jean de Pavie, doctor of Kings Charles VII and Louis XI. Placed under the name of Saint Bonaventure after its canonization, the church suffered the vicissitudes of history: looting during the wars of Religion (1562), transformation into a stable during the Revolution, and then progressive restoration in the 19th century. Its sober architecture, marked by the ideal of Franciscan poverty, contrasts with the richness of the 17 lateral chapels, built between the 15th and 16th centuries by the brotherhoods of Lyon trades.
The facade, initially stripped, was completely redesigned in 1860 by Claude-Anthelme Benoit, who added roses, pinacles and statues to balance its proportions. The church, classified as a minor basilica in 2019, houses a remarkable organ restored in 2023, as well as contemporary stained glass windows signed by Louis Charrat (1945–1965), replacing those destroyed during the explosion of the Lafayette Bridge in 1944. His chapels, dedicated to holy patrons of corporations (trailers, painters, boatmen), illustrate the social and spiritual role of the medieval brotherhoods.
Among the notable chapels, that of Saint-Joseph, decorated with sculptures by Jean-André Delorme and Vincent Fontan, merges three original spaces. The chapel of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue conserves a neo-Gothic altarpiece and a statue of Fontan (1896), while the chapel of the Linen Tondeurs is distinguished by its arch in full hanger and its Renaissance altarpiece. The stained glass windows, combining medieval styles (Émile Thibaud, 19th century) and modern (Louis Charrat, 20th century), tell the history of the basilica, Saint Bonaventure and the Gospels. The building, owned by the city since 1905, remains an active urban sanctuary, witness to eight centuries of Lyon history.
The interior architecture rests on a classical basilical plane, with a vaulted central nave at 17.50 meters, flanked by collaterals at 10.50 meters. The octagonal columns, without capitals, support dogive vaults with strictly equal dimensions, reflecting a functional aesthetic. The light, filtered by the southern bays and the contemporary stained glass windows, animates the space according to the hours. The fraternities, such as those of the painters (Saint Luke's Chapel) or the merchants of Troyes (chapelle du Sacré-Coeur), left their coat of arms and retables, symbols of their piety and prosperity.
The organ, installed in 1845 by Joseph Callinet and restored several times (notably in 1936 and 2023), now counts 68 games. His rostrum, originally placed at the bottom of the nave, was moved to the choir in the 19th century. The successive restorations, including the last by Michel Jurine, modernized his mechanics while preserving his 1936 aesthetic. The basilica, which was listed as a historical monument in 1927, also benefited from a ravage of its facade in 2022–23, financed by the city of Lyon and the diocese.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review