Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Astronomical Clock
Why is it significant?
Stand in the spacious cathedral square and gaze up at the magnificent late-Gothic western facade of Saint-Jean Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon and the Primate of the Gauls.
Key Facts
| Place | Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Astronomical Clock |
|---|---|
| Address | Place Saint-Jean 1, 69005 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.76070, 4.82740 |
| Part of Walk | Fourvière and Vieux Lyon: Roman Lugdunum, Hilltop Basilica, and Renaissance Traboules |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand in the spacious cathedral square and gaze up at the magnificent late-Gothic western facade of Saint-Jean Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon and the Primate of the Gauls. Built over three centuries between 1180 and 1480, this splendid cathedral seamlessly transitions from early Romanesque apsidal stonework to flamboyant Gothic portals adorned with over three hundred carved stone medallions illustrating biblical scenes, allegories of virtues, and medieval bestiaries. Stepping through the central portal into the soaring nave, your eye is drawn to the celebrated and world-famous fourteenth-century Astronomical Clock standing in the left transept. Standing over nine metres tall, this remarkable mechanical masterpiece, documented as early as 1379, displays a perpetual calendar, the lunar phases, the positions of the sun and stars over Lyon, and an automated carousel of mechanical figurines that strike the hour to crowing roosters and chiming bells. The filtered colored light from the magnificent thirteenth-century stained-glass rose window casts jewel-like patterns across the ancient flagstones, choir stalls, and carved limestone pillars throughout the entire liturgical calendar year.
Look closely at the intricate astronomical dial: constructed centuries before modern computing, its complex gear trains calculate the date of Easter according to the ancient computations of the church through the year 2019 and beyond.
In December 1600, King Henry IV of France married Marie de' Medici inside this choir in a lavish royal ceremony that confirmed Lyon's status as a premier banking and diplomatic hub of Europe.
Note the absence of a pipe organ in the choir: the ancient Lyonnais liturgical rite, preserved here until the Second Vatican Council, strictly forbade organ accompaniment to maintain the purity of Gregorian choral singing.
Walk north along Rue du Bœuf to discover the famed Tour Rose at the Maison du Crible.