Roman Theatres of Fourvière and the Ancient Odéon
Why is it significant?
Step out onto the ancient stone tiers of the Grand Roman Theatre of Fourvière and gaze down into the monumental semi-circular arena carved directly into the eastern hillside.
Key Facts
| Place | Roman Theatres of Fourvière and the Ancient Odéon |
|---|---|
| Address | Rue de l'Antiquaille 6, 69005 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.75800, 4.82050 |
| Part of Walk | Fourvière and Vieux Lyon: Roman Lugdunum, Hilltop Basilica, and Renaissance Traboules |
| Generated | Generated |
Step out onto the ancient stone tiers of the Grand Roman Theatre of Fourvière and gaze down into the monumental semi-circular arena carved directly into the eastern hillside. Founded in 43 BC by Roman general Lucius Munatius Plancus as Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum, this commanding hilltop sanctuary served for centuries as the political, economic, and administrative capital of the Three Gauls under the Pax Romana. The Great Theatre, commissioned around 15 BC by Emperor Augustus and later enlarged under Hadrian to hold over ten thousand spectators, sits paired side-by-side with the smaller, refined Odeon, an intimate covered auditorium built for three thousand privileged guests to enjoy poetry recitals, philosophical debates, and musical competitions. Looking out from these sun-warmed limestone terraces across the terracotta tiled rooftops of Lyon and the vast river plains stretching toward the Alps, one instantly grasps why Roman military strategists selected this supreme promontory overlooking the strategic confluence of the Saône and the Rhône. The fresh morning breeze carries echoes of ancient civic ceremonies and imperial pageantry across the centuries.
Look closely at the polished polychrome marble mosaic paving the floor of the Odeon orchestra: imported Egyptian porphyry, green cipollino marble from Greece, and yellow Numidian marble from North Africa reveal the immense commercial wealth of imperial Lugdunum.
The ancient stones lay buried under vine terraces and forgotten vegetable orchards for centuries until systematic municipal excavations begun in 1933 by archaeologist Pierre Wuilleumier painstakingly restored these grand monuments to public life.
Listen to the acoustic resonance as your heels click on the limestone steps: every summer, the international festival Les Nuits de Fourvière revives these ancient stones with modern theatre, opera, and rock concerts under starry night skies.
Walk north along Rue Cléberg to discover the underground architectural wonder of the Lugdunum Museum.