- 19 Rue Bourgelat, 69002 Lyon
- What you see
- What you need to know
What you see is the reuse of the gate that adorned the entrance to the riding academy run in the 18th century by Claude Bourgelat, squire to King Louis XV and founder of the Veterinary Schools. Two caryatids frame the entrance to the riding school. Imagine yourself crossing this gate full of history, a silent witness to the equestrian elegance of a bygone era.
The fresco was created from a period engraving, at the request of Doctor Charles Mérieux. In 2015, the Mérieux Institute was still the owner of the building.
Also note an inscription: “1755 Rue du Manège” which also testifies to the existence of this riding academy.
Remember that Claude Bourgelat was a squire in the service of King Louis XV and the founder of the Veterinary Schools in 1755, thus marking a major contribution to the veterinary profession and to horse riding in the 18th century. His legacy lives on through the influence of these schools and his commitment to animal health.
- Archive images
- Fascinating life of Claude Bourgelat
- 1712-1779 : Birth of Claude Bourgelat in Lyon on March 27, 1712, and death in Paris on January 3, 1779. French squire and veterinarian.
- Early life : Raised in a wealthy family, but after his father's death in 1719, Bourgelat experienced financial difficulties and disputes over inheritance.
- 1724-1729 : Service in the musketeer troop.
- 1733-1740 : Bourgelat runs a law practice in Lyon, pleading for the upper middle class and the nobility, establishing key relationships in the sphere of local power.
- 1740 : Obtained the patent of squire to the king holding the Lyon Riding Academy.
- 1744 : Publishes his first work, The New Newcastle, which makes him famous throughout Europe.
- 1750 : Publishes volume I of the Elements of hippiatrics, transforming his role into a scientific author.
- 1752 : Appointed correspondent of the Paris Academy of Sciences.
- 1754 : Meeting Henri Léonard Bertin, a friendship which will be decisive for his future projects.
- 1761 : Obtains royal authorization to open the first veterinary school in Lyon, a fundamental step in the institutionalization of veterinary education.
- 1762 : The Lyon veterinary school welcomes its first student.
- 1764 : The school is elevated to the rank of Royal Veterinary School.
- 1765 : Bourgelat is appointed director and general inspector of the Royal Veterinary School of Lyon and of all veterinary schools established or to be established in the Kingdom.
- 1766 : The School opened at the Château d'Alfort, the estate which remains its headquarters to this day.
- European impact : The schools founded by Bourgelat attracted students from all over Europe, contributing to the creation of many veterinary schools in Europe.
- Legacy : Bourgelat is recognized as the undisputed founder of veterinary education and profession, leaving a legacy based on the scientific approach, economic concern, the comparative dimension and the ethical approach.