Place de la Trinité
Encyclopedia
The Place de la Trinité is a square located in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon
. The square, fully paved and surrounded by old buildings like the sun house (18th century), is more a crossing of small streets than a real square. It is on the hillside of Fourvière
and is the low extremity of the hill of Gourguillon. The square is in the center of the zone classified as World Heritage Site
by UNESCO.
In 1658, archbishop Camille de Neuville did come to Lyon the Regular Canons of St. Augustine. They were installed on the square in 1664 in a house successively owned by the Bellièvres, the De Langes and the De Sèves. As they belonged to the Order of the Holy Trinity, the place was renamed Place de la Trinité. On 10 January 1794, it was renamed Place du Triangle before reverting to its former name after the French Revolution
.
On the square, at the corner with the montée du Gourguillon, there is the sun house, which was built in 1723 and was named so because a golden sun on a blue background is painted between the first and the second floor. The building currently houses on the ground floor a coffeehouse
(also named bouchon
) of the same name. The waters rushing down the montée du Gourguillon
were once collected in the Fontaine des Trois Cornets (fountain of the Three Cones).
The coffeehouse and the square are particularly popular as they are the traditional decoration of the Guignol
theater.
and Gnafron, a golden sun, a statue of a Madonna
and a statue of St. Peter. The facade between the montée du Gourguillon
and the rue Tramassac was restored with mullions on three arches of entry and a niche with a head of a lion fountain. The sun is a reference to the owner of the house in the 18th century, named Barou du Soleil.
5th arrondissement of Lyon
The 5th arrondissement of Lyon is one of the nine arrondissements of the City of Lyon.- History :The 5th arrondissement was created on 24 March 1852 . It is the historic center of Lyon. It is at Fourvière that Munatius Plancus founded the Roman colony of Lugdunum in 43 BC...
. The square, fully paved and surrounded by old buildings like the sun house (18th century), is more a crossing of small streets than a real square. It is on the hillside of Fourvière
Fourvière
Fourvière is a district of Lyon, France located on a hill immediately west of the old part of the town, rising abruptly from the river Saône and then gently sloping down to the north-west. It is the site of the original Roman settlement of Lugdunum...
and is the low extremity of the hill of Gourguillon. The square is in the center of the zone classified as World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCO.
History
The street was first named "Le treyve du Gourguillon".In 1658, archbishop Camille de Neuville did come to Lyon the Regular Canons of St. Augustine. They were installed on the square in 1664 in a house successively owned by the Bellièvres, the De Langes and the De Sèves. As they belonged to the Order of the Holy Trinity, the place was renamed Place de la Trinité. On 10 January 1794, it was renamed Place du Triangle before reverting to its former name after the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
On the square, at the corner with the montée du Gourguillon, there is the sun house, which was built in 1723 and was named so because a golden sun on a blue background is painted between the first and the second floor. The building currently houses on the ground floor a coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
(also named bouchon
Bouchon
A bouchon is a type of restaurant found in Lyon, France, that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, such as sausages, duck pâté or roast pork. Compared to other forms of French cooking such as nouvelle cuisine, the dishes are quite fatty and heavily oriented around meat...
) of the same name. The waters rushing down the montée du Gourguillon
Montée du Gourguillon
The Montée du Gourguillon is a very old street of the hill of Fourvière in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon, between the Saint-Jean and Saint-Just quarters. It begins from the Place de la Trinité and ends with the rue des Farges. The street belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by...
were once collected in the Fontaine des Trois Cornets (fountain of the Three Cones).
The coffeehouse and the square are particularly popular as they are the traditional decoration of the Guignol
Guignol
Guignol is the main character in a French puppet show which has come to bear his name.Although often thought of as children's entertainment, Guignol's sharp wit and linguistic verve have always been appreciated by adults as well, as shown by the motto of a prominent Lyon troupe: "Guignol amuses...
theater.
Architecture
All the houses of the square are rather old. The "house of the sun", located at No. 2 rue Saint-Georges, was built in the 17th or 18th century by architect Philibert Delorme. Its northern facade is decorated with the figures of GuignolGuignol
Guignol is the main character in a French puppet show which has come to bear his name.Although often thought of as children's entertainment, Guignol's sharp wit and linguistic verve have always been appreciated by adults as well, as shown by the motto of a prominent Lyon troupe: "Guignol amuses...
and Gnafron, a golden sun, a statue of a Madonna
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and a statue of St. Peter. The facade between the montée du Gourguillon
Montée du Gourguillon
The Montée du Gourguillon is a very old street of the hill of Fourvière in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon, between the Saint-Jean and Saint-Just quarters. It begins from the Place de la Trinité and ends with the rue des Farges. The street belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by...
and the rue Tramassac was restored with mullions on three arches of entry and a niche with a head of a lion fountain. The sun is a reference to the owner of the house in the 18th century, named Barou du Soleil.