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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Fortunat, located in Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or in the metropolis of Lyon, finds its origins in the fourteenth century with an initial Gothic structure. Measuring 26 meters long and 6 meters wide, it is dedicated to Saint Fortunat, a Benedictine of Italian origin according to local tradition. His choir, in Gothic style, is characterized by a polygonal apse illuminated by ogival lancet windows, while six allegorical figures (including the symbols of the four evangelists, Moses and Solomon) support the veins of the stone and brick vault.

The chapel experienced a major expansion in 1841, when the monumental gate was moved to line up on the street and gypsum stone ogival windows (typical of local limestone) were added. The choir, already Gothic, was preserved and inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1980. Among the remarkable elements are a bentier of 1789, a wooden Christ attached to a beam of metal glory, and a walnut pulpit. The grey gryphe marble altar and liturgical objects, including a Clergeau harmonium, were classified in 1995.

The building thus combines medieval elements (voûts, apse, allegorical figures) and 19th century additions (windows, door, interior layout). Local tradition combines Saint Fortunat, celebrated on August 30, with an Italian Benedictine origin, although this story is more a legend than a verified historical source. The chapel also houses a copy of a work by Filippo Lippi, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, adding a Renaissance artistic dimension to its heritage.

Today, the chapel depends on the commune of Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or (Département du Rhône, region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). His choir, a communal property, remains the only element protected by the Historical Monuments, while his furniture (housekeeper, liturgical objects) has a separate inscription. The exact location, 4 Place de la Chapelle, makes it an accessible place in this village of the Lyon Golden Mountains.

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