17/6/2014 Lyon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lyon Coordinates: 45°46′N 4°50′E From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lyon (/liːˈoʊn/; French pronunciation: [ljɔ]̃ ( ), locally: [lijɔ]̃ ; Arpitan: Lyon Liyon [ʎjɔ]̃ ; historically spelled Lyons) is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Etymologically it relates to the Celtic God Lugoves, Lugh as do Laon and Leiden. Lyon is located approximately 470 kilometres (292 miles) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais. The population of Lyon is 484,344 (2010).[4] Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the largest conurbation in France outside Paris. Its urban region represents half of the Rhône- Alpes region population with 2.9 million inhabitants.[5] Lyon is the capital of this region, as well as the capital of the smaller Rhône département. The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France. It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumière, who invented the cinematographe in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival 'Fête des Lumières' which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, earning Lyon Top, Lyon, with the old city in the foreground. Centre, the Pont Bonaparte, at night, and the Pont the title of Capital of Lights. Legend says that the Virgin Mary saved Lafayette. Bottom, the Place Bellecour, with the Basilique de Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the the city from the plague and, to thank her, a statue was built. On the Tour Metal in the background. day it was erected, the whole city was lit by candles that its citizens had put at their windows. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased Lyon's profile internationally through participation in European football championships. Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking as well as for chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a Flag significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, Coat of arms and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector.[6] Motto: Avant, avant, Lion le melhor. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews ( : Forward, forward, Lyon the best)[nb 1] and International Agency for Research on Cancer. By some Old Arpitan measures, Lyon is ranked 2nd in France as an economic centre and convention centre.[7] Lyon was ranked 8th globally and 2nd in France for innovation in 2011.[8] It ranked 2nd in France and 38th globally in Mercer's 2010 liveability rankings. Contents Lyon 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Administration 3.1 Mayors 4 Culture 4.1 UNESCO World Heritage Site 4.2 Gastronomy 4.3 Sport 5 Economy Location within Rhône-Alpes region 6 Demographics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon 1/16 17/6/2014 Lyon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 7 Main sights 7.1 Antiquity 7.2 Middle Ages and Renaissance 7.3 17th and 18th century Lyon 7.4 19th century and modern city 7.5 Museums 7.6 Parks and gardens 8 Education 9 Transport 10 Notable residents 11 Movies in Lyon 12 International relations Coordinates: 45°46′N 4°50′E 12.1 Twin towns – Sister cities Country France 13 Gallery Region Rhône-Alpes Rhône 14 See also Department Arrondissement Lyon 15 Notes Intercommunality Urban Community 16 References of Lyon 17 External links Subdivisions 9 arrondissements Government • Mayor (2014– Gérard Collomb (PS) History 2020) Area • Urban (1999) 954.19 km2 (368.41 sq mi) Main article for early, mainly Roman, history: Lugdunum. • Metro (2006) 3,306 km2 (1,276 sq mi) Main article for both Roman and later history: History of • Land1 47.95 km2 (18.51 sq mi) Lyon. Population (2010)[4] Fourvière hill was a Roman colony in 43 BC by Munatius Plancus, a lieutenant of Caesar, on the site of a Gaulish hill-fort settlement called Lug[o]dunon, from the Celtic god Lugus ('Light', cognate with Old • Rank 3rd in France Irish Lugh, Modern Irish Lú) and dúnon (hill-fort). Lug[us] was • Urban (2010) 1,551,228[1] equated by the Romans to Mercury. • Metro (2008) 2,118,132.[2][3] Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa recognized that Lugdunum's position on • Population2 484,344 the natural highway from northern to south-eastern France made it a • Population2 10,000/km2 (26,000/sq mi) natural communications hub, and he made Lyon the starting point of density the principal Roman roads throughout Gaul. It then became the capital Time zone CET (GMT +1) of Gaul, partly thanks to its convenient location at the convergence of two navigable rivers, and quickly became the main city of Gaul. Two INSEE/Postal code 69123 (http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau_local.asp? emperors were born in this city: Claudius and Caracalla. Today, the ref_id=POP&millesime=2010&nivgeo=COM&codgeo=69123) archbishop of Lyon is still referred to as "Primat des Gaules" and the / 69001-69009 city often referred to as the "capitale des Gaules". Elevation 28–349 m (92–1,145 ft) The Christians in Lyon were martyred for their religion under the Website lyon.fr (http://www.lyon.fr/) reigns of the various Roman emperors, most notably Marcus Aurelius and Septimus Severus. Local saints from this period include Blandina 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) (Blandine), Pothinus (Pothin), and Epipodius (Épipode), among and river estuaries. others. In the 2nd century AD, the great Christian bishop of Lyon was 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military the Easterner Irenaeus. personnel) only counted once. Burgundian refugees from the destruction of Worms by the Huns in 437 were resettled by the military commander of the west, Aëtius, at Lugdunum, which was formally the capital of the new Burgundian kingdom by 461. In 843, by the Treaty of Verdun, Lyon, with the country beyond the Saône, went to Lothair I, and later became a part of the Kingdom of Arles. Lyon came under French control in the 14th century. Fernand Braudel remarked, "Historians of Lyon are not sufficiently aware of the bi-polarity between Paris and Lyon, which is a constant structure in French development...from the late Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution".[9] In the late 15th century, the fairs introduced by Italian merchants made Lyon the economic countinghouse of France. (Even the Bourse (treasury), built in 1749 resembled a public bazaar where accounts were settled in the open air.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon 2/16 17/6/2014 Lyon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia When international banking moved to Genoa, then Amsterdam, Lyon remained the banking centre of France. In 1572, Lyon was a scene of mass violence against Huguenots in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacres. During the French Revolution, Lyon rose up against the National Convention and supported the Girondins. In 1793, the city was assaulted by the Revolutionary armies and under siege for over two months before eventually surrendering. Several buildings were destroyed, especially around the Place Bellecour. Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois and Joseph Fouché administered the execution of more than 2,000 people. A decade later, Napoleon ordered the reconstruction of all the buildings demolished during this period. During the Renaissance, the city's development was driven by the silk trade, which strengthened the city's ties to Italy. (Italian influence on Lyon's architecture can still be seen today.)[10] Thanks to the silk trade, the city became an important industrial town during the 19th century. In 1831 and 1834, the canuts (silk workers) of Lyon staged two major uprisings. The 1831 uprising saw one of the first recorded uses of the black flag as an emblem of protest. In 1862, the world's first funicular railway was built between Lyon and La Croix-Rousse. During World War II, Lyon was a centre for the occupying German forces as well as a stronghold of resistance. The traboules (secret passages) through houses enabled the local people to escape Gestapo raids. On 3 September 1944, the city was liberated by the 1st Free French Division and the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur. The city is now home to a resistance museum. (See also Klaus Barbie.) Lyon in the 18th century Lyon under siege in 1793 Lyon in 1860 Lyon in 2007 Geography The Rhône and Saône rivers converge to the south of the historic city centre forming a peninsula or "Presqu'île". There are two large hills, one to the west and one to the north of the city centre, as well as a large plain which sprawls eastward. West of the Presqu'île, the original medieval city (Vieux Lyon) was built on the west bank of the Saône river at the foot of the Fourvière hill. This area, along with portions of the Presqu'île and much of the Croix-Rousse is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the west is Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays". This is the location for the highly decorated basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, several convents, the palace of the Archbishop, the Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower, replicating the last stage of the Eiffel Tower) and a funicular (a railway on a steep hill).