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Church of Abbaye Saint-Martin D'Ainay

11 Rue Bourgelat, 69002 Lyon, France

"The oldest church in Lyon, the Abbaye Saint-Martin d'Ainay was built in the 11th century on the site of a 4th-century Roman temple. The Abbey Church originally belonged to a convent. Benedictine founded in the 6th century."

This church, a few minutes from Bellecour and the Musée des Marionus et des Arts décoratifs, is the only 11th-century Romanesque church (a popular architectural style in medieval Europe) to have existed in Lyon. . According to existing archives, it dates back to the late 11th century when it was built on the site of a 9th-century Carolingian church. During the 13th century, the monastery flourished, attracting many monks. and acquired land that allowed a cult of the Martyrs of Lyon to settle there. It was greatly damaged during the religious wars of the 16th century, but was saved from damage during the Revolution as it was used as a shelter for several years. In the early 19th century, the church was in such a bad condition that it was almost pulled down. The church was originally built, based on plans for a basilica that become apparent when you look at some of the architectural features, such as the four Roman columns from the altars of Augustus and Rome. The mosaics, sculptures and paintings inside are a mixture of Roman and 19th-century styles.

Address: 11 Rue Bourgelat, 69002 Lyon, France

Opening hours: Daily 09:00 – 11:30 and 14:30 – 18:30

Phone: +33 4 72 40 02 50

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