Rue Mercière
Encyclopedia
Rue Mercière is a street of Les Cordeliers
quarter in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon
. From north to south, it connects the Place des Jacobins
to the Place d'Albon. This street is served by metro stations Bellecour and Cordeliers of the line and by the bus station Jacobins of the lines 91 and 99. It belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site
by UNESCO.
. From the 13th to the 18th century, it was the main street of Lyon on the left river of the Saône
. In the 16th century, it was the street of printers and notably housed Sébastien Gryphe
's workshop, at the corner of rue Thomassin. At No. 64, the ruins of the Church of Anthonians can be seen. The Hôtel de la Rose, directed by Jacques Cœur, was occupied by the Consulate from 1459 for three years. The No. 64, called the "Cave of Ainay", was owned by the Ainay abbey until 1542.
The composer Louis Marchand was born at number 2 in 1669. The almanac of Lyon was printed in this street from 1740 to 1836. Among the famous residents of the street are Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
(1509) who held the secret society named l'Agla, Langlai brothers who printed Simon Maupin
's Lyon map, and writer André Steyert who was born in this street in 1830.
Fallen into an unhealthiness state in the 19th and 20th century, the street was the subject of several re-developments, including the project Moncorgé named Transformation et embellissement de Lyon in 1909. In 1925, the SEL contest already aimed to transform the neighborhood. By the mid 19th century, the street was covered with asphalt and all buildings in the eastern part were deleted when the rue Centrale was created. The project of F. Chollat, with his 5th prize, wanted to build in the street Mercière a modern quarter and a fifty-stage skyscraper. A radical project of destruction was halted at the last minute in 1956 by André Malraux. In 1958, the city council
took the decision to renovate the quarter Mercière-Saint-Antoine. The northern part of the street was demolished between the street and the dock to create a major building project : Mr. Marot, chief architect of the Bâtiments Civils et Palais Nationaux, elaborated a project modified eighteen times to "protect the variety of appearance and fancy which were the charm of the old neighborhood".
The southern part of the street was particularly known for its prostitutes until the 1970s and was also the subject of a development plan near the Place des Jacobins.
Big changes were made in the 1980s. The embellishment was then spectacular and the street became pedestrian. In the south, it currently houses a large number of restaurants, including many bouchon
s of Lyon and bars
, making the street a popular quarter for the tourists. It has a major architectural heritage by the presence of a row of buildings created during the Renaissance
.
-styled houses with mullioned windows. The street ends with a modern home and a garden.
A plaque shows the location of Étienne Dolet
's print shop (16th century), another one from the Hospices Civils de Lyon is attached to the printer and alderman Guillaume de Rouville's house, and another one is on the Hôtel Horace Cardon mentionning 18th-century printer Fleury Mesplet
.
The opened traboule
at No. 45 crosses two buildings and is composed of a 17th century building and a courtyard with a spiral staircase. The closed traboule at No. 49 is straight starts with a high-storey building.
Les Cordeliers
Les Cordeliers is one of the central quarters in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon, France. It is mainly known for the Place des Cordeliers in its center...
quarter in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon
2nd arrondissement of Lyon
The 2nd arrondissement of Lyon is one of the nine arrondissements of the City of Lyon.-History:The first five arrondissements of Lyon were created by the Decree of March 24, 1852, which included the 2nd arrondissement.The current mayor is Denis Broliquier....
. From north to south, it connects the Place des Jacobins
Place des Jacobins
The Place des Jacobins is a square located in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. It was created in 1556 and a fountain was added in 1856. The square belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO...
to the Place d'Albon. This street is served by metro stations Bellecour and Cordeliers of the line and by the bus station Jacobins of the lines 91 and 99. It belongs to 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.
Last antiquity - 17th century
Etymologically, the French word "Mercière" refers to "merchant", which is the main activity of the street. Previously, the small rue Mercière was distinguished from the rue Dubois in the south and the large rue Mercière at the north. This is one of the oldest streets of Lyon and was probably created during the late antiquityLate Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
. From the 13th to the 18th century, it was the main street of Lyon on the left river of the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
. In the 16th century, it was the street of printers and notably housed Sébastien Gryphe
Sébastien Gryphe
Sebastian Gryphius was a German bookseller-printer and humanist.- Biography :He was the son of Michael Greyff , and learned from him the new craft of printing, in Germany and then in Venice...
's workshop, at the corner of rue Thomassin. At No. 64, the ruins of the Church of Anthonians can be seen. The Hôtel de la Rose, directed by Jacques Cœur, was occupied by the Consulate from 1459 for three years. The No. 64, called the "Cave of Ainay", was owned by the Ainay abbey until 1542.
The composer Louis Marchand was born at number 2 in 1669. The almanac of Lyon was printed in this street from 1740 to 1836. Among the famous residents of the street are Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim was a German magician, occult writer, theologian, astrologer, and alchemist.-Life:Agrippa was born in Cologne in 1486...
(1509) who held the secret society named l'Agla, Langlai brothers who printed Simon Maupin
Simon Maupin
Simon Maupin was a French architect.-Biography:In 1625, he engraved his Plan de Lyon.He became famous when he drew up the plans of the City hall of Lyon, built between 1646 and 1651...
's Lyon map, and writer André Steyert who was born in this street in 1830.
18th and 20th centuries
As for other streets of the close quarter, the Gas Company of Perrache made its first test of gas lighting in the street in 1835.Fallen into an unhealthiness state in the 19th and 20th century, the street was the subject of several re-developments, including the project Moncorgé named Transformation et embellissement de Lyon in 1909. In 1925, the SEL contest already aimed to transform the neighborhood. By the mid 19th century, the street was covered with asphalt and all buildings in the eastern part were deleted when the rue Centrale was created. The project of F. Chollat, with his 5th prize, wanted to build in the street Mercière a modern quarter and a fifty-stage skyscraper. A radical project of destruction was halted at the last minute in 1956 by André Malraux. In 1958, the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
took the decision to renovate the quarter Mercière-Saint-Antoine. The northern part of the street was demolished between the street and the dock to create a major building project : Mr. Marot, chief architect of the Bâtiments Civils et Palais Nationaux, elaborated a project modified eighteen times to "protect the variety of appearance and fancy which were the charm of the old neighborhood".
The southern part of the street was particularly known for its prostitutes until the 1970s and was also the subject of a development plan near the Place des Jacobins.
Big changes were made in the 1980s. The embellishment was then spectacular and the street became pedestrian. In the south, it currently houses a large number of restaurants, including many 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...
s of Lyon and bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, making the street a popular quarter for the tourists. It has a major architectural heritage by the presence of a row of buildings created during the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
.
Architecture
On the west side, the street starts with a seven-floor building of the 1970s. On the east side, there is a row of stone buildings of the 19th century, with five storeys. Between the rue Grenette and the luxurious hotel Horace Cardon, the street is narrower, with on the west, a row of RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
-styled houses with mullioned windows. The street ends with a modern home and a garden.
A plaque shows the location of Étienne Dolet
Étienne Dolet
Étienne Dolet was a French scholar, translator and printer.-Early life:He was born in Orléans. A doubtful tradition makes him the illegitimate son of Francis I; but it is evident that he was at least connected with some family of rank and wealth.From Orléans he was taken to Paris about 1521, and...
's print shop (16th century), another one from the Hospices Civils de Lyon is attached to the printer and alderman Guillaume de Rouville's house, and another one is on the Hôtel Horace Cardon mentionning 18th-century printer Fleury Mesplet
Fleury Mesplet
Fleury Mesplet was a French-born Canadian printer.Born in Marseille and apprenticed in Lyon, he emigrated to London in 1773 where he set up shop in Covent Garden. In 1774 he emigrated to Philadelphia; it is thought that he may have been persuaded to do so by Benjamin Franklin...
.
The opened traboule
Traboule
Traboules are a type of passageway primarily associated with the city of Lyon, France, but also located in the French cities of Villefranche-sur-Saône, Mâcon, Saint-Étienne, along with a few in Chambéry)...
at No. 45 crosses two buildings and is composed of a 17th century building and a courtyard with a spiral staircase. The closed traboule at No. 49 is straight starts with a high-storey building.