Église Saint-Pothin
Encyclopedia
The Église Saint-Pothin is one of the religious buildings of Lyon
, on the left bank of the Rhône
, in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon
, on the Place Edgar Quinet. By order of 2 May 2007, the whole church was included in the supplementary inventory of monuments historiques.
district from the late 18th century. The progressive urbanization of the area followed a plan made by Jean-Antoine Morand (1727-1794), an architect in Lyon, and Saint-Pothin was one of the structural elements of the new plot. A chapel was opened in 1818, but Les Brotteaux district decided to create of a branch of La Guillotière district placed under the patronage of St. Pothin under the pressure of the notables, not after a special concern of the Archbishop of Lyon. The royal ordinance of 21 June 1826 allowed this project to be materialized, thus facilitating the project of church construction and financing. The parish boundaries were established in 1827, however. Canut
s smashed the doors of the old church in 1831.
In 1835, the Hospices Civils de Lyon made a gift of land and a contest was organized by the city fathers of La Guillotière. Christophe Crépet (1807-1856), Lyon architect of La Guillotière and former student of the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, was to be the winner. He made a neoclassical project, that was partially carried out from June 1841 to 1843, as the budget, largely undervalued, was tripled. For economic reasons, this led to an adjournment of the church decoration (many statues of saints were planned, but the project was finally abandoned) and the use of inferior materials, which begat architectural disorder.
The church was opened on Christmas Day of 1843.
Architect of Lyon city Tony Desjardins in 1867, then architect Claudius Porte in 1874 and 1876-1877, directed restoration campaigns.
portico
, topped by a triangular pediment
, and many Doric columns. Above the six colomns of the facade, there are a frieze and a triangular pediment with a cross.
In the interior, the fresco
of the dome was conducted in 1893-1894 by Étienne Couvert (1856-1933) and depicts the Virgin and the twelve apostles, and there is a glass made by Lucien Bégule, representing the Holy Spirit as a dove
. The stained glass windows were made by Lucien Bégule's son, Émile (1880-1972), showing the founders of the Church of Lyon (St Irenaeus, St Polycarp, St Blandina and St Pothinus) and that of France (St Genevieve
, St Clotilde).There is also a 1656 painting depicting St. Paul in front of the Areopagus
, which was previously kept at Notre-Dame de Paris.
The organ
is placed in the apse
and the nave is lined aisles.
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, on the left bank of the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon
6th arrondissement of Lyon
The 6th arrondissement of Lyon is one of the nine arrondissements of the City of Lyon and one of the poshest.This zone is served by the metro lines , and Tramway T3-Streets and squares:* Boulevard des Belges* Rue de Créqui* Rue Duguesclin...
, on the Place Edgar Quinet. By order of 2 May 2007, the whole church was included in the supplementary inventory of monuments historiques.
History
The creation of the parish of St. Pothin and the construction of the church became part of the urban development of Les BrotteauxLes Brotteaux
Les Brotteaux is a quarter in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon. It is situated between the Rhône and the track railway which leads to the Gare de la Part-Dieu. The urbanization of this area began in the late eighteenth century under the leadership of architect and urban planner Jean-Antoine Morand...
district from the late 18th century. The progressive urbanization of the area followed a plan made by Jean-Antoine Morand (1727-1794), an architect in Lyon, and Saint-Pothin was one of the structural elements of the new plot. A chapel was opened in 1818, but Les Brotteaux district decided to create of a branch of La Guillotière district placed under the patronage of St. Pothin under the pressure of the notables, not after a special concern of the Archbishop of Lyon. The royal ordinance of 21 June 1826 allowed this project to be materialized, thus facilitating the project of church construction and financing. The parish boundaries were established in 1827, however. Canut
Canut
The canuts were Lyonnais silk workers, often working on Jacquard looms. They were primarily found in the Croix-Rousse neighbourhood of Lyon in the 19th century. Although the term generally refers to Lyonnais silk workers, silk workers in the commune of l'Arbresle are also called canuts.-Canut...
s smashed the doors of the old church in 1831.
In 1835, the Hospices Civils de Lyon made a gift of land and a contest was organized by the city fathers of La Guillotière. Christophe Crépet (1807-1856), Lyon architect of La Guillotière and former student of the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, was to be the winner. He made a neoclassical project, that was partially carried out from June 1841 to 1843, as the budget, largely undervalued, was tripled. For economic reasons, this led to an adjournment of the church decoration (many statues of saints were planned, but the project was finally abandoned) and the use of inferior materials, which begat architectural disorder.
The church was opened on Christmas Day of 1843.
Architect of Lyon city Tony Desjardins in 1867, then architect Claudius Porte in 1874 and 1876-1877, directed restoration campaigns.
Architecture
This church has a neoclassical style and looks like a Greek temple. It has a Latin cross form, and its facade has a DoricDoric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
, topped by a triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
, and many Doric columns. Above the six colomns of the facade, there are a frieze and a triangular pediment with a cross.
In the interior, the fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
of the dome was conducted in 1893-1894 by Étienne Couvert (1856-1933) and depicts the Virgin and the twelve apostles, and there is a glass made by Lucien Bégule, representing the Holy Spirit as a dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
. The stained glass windows were made by Lucien Bégule's son, Émile (1880-1972), showing the founders of the Church of Lyon (St Irenaeus, St Polycarp, St Blandina and St Pothinus) and that of France (St Genevieve
Genevieve
St Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
, St Clotilde).There is also a 1656 painting depicting St. Paul in front of the Areopagus
Areopagus
The Areopagus or Areios Pagos is the "Rock of Ares", north-west of the Acropolis, which in classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeal for criminal and civil cases in Athens. Ares was supposed to have been tried here by the gods for the murder of Poseidon's son Alirrothios .The origin...
, which was previously kept at Notre-Dame de Paris.
The organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
is placed in the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
and the nave is lined aisles.