- 20 Place des Terreaux, 69001 Lyon
- What you see
- What you need to know
The museum’s garden, which is the former cloister of the 17th-century abbey, reveals a rich and fascinating history. Once reserved for the nuns, this enclosed interior space offered a haven of peace where they could enjoy nature. A central pond and potted orange trees, yews and exotic plants adorned the courtyard, while sculptures of Saints Michael and Gabriel, the goddess Minerva, and Concord, gave a sacred aura to this peaceful place.
After the Revolution and the departure of the nuns, the cloister was opened to the public. The arcades then hosted the inscriptions and fragments of ancient architecture of the lapidary museum, thus offering visitors a real journey through time in the heart of this enchanting garden.
The first redevelopment of the garden took place in 1832. On the terraces, a stone balustrade decorated with decorative vases replaced a wrought iron barrier. Above the arcades, casts of the Greek friezes of the Parthenon in Athens and the Nereid Monument of Xanthos were installed, adding an additional artistic dimension to this place steeped in history.
Between 1879 and 1883, Abraham Hirsch, the architect in charge of the museum's work, undertook a major restructuring of the garden. The vaulted galleries were decorated with paintings by Louis Bardey, while bronze medallions depicting the great artists of Lyon were installed above the arcades, against a backdrop of magnificent mosaics designed by Charles Lameire. In the niches, plaster copies of famous antique statues, such as the Venus Medici, the Ephebe, the Satyr, the Diana of Gabii and many others, were placed, adding a touch of classical elegance to this garden steeped in culture and beauty.
- Archive images
Detail of the scenographic plan of the city of Lyon showing the abbey of the Ladies of Saint-Pierre around 1550, municipal archives of the city of Lyon. Source
Robert Pigout, Perspective of the Place des Terreaux before the abbey, 1653 Source
Jean Chavanne, Perspective of the Place des Terreaux after completion of the abbey, end of the 17th century Source
Above the arcades of the cloister, casts reproduce in disorder the frieze of the Panathenaea of the Parthenon of Athens, and that of the Nereids of Xanthos on the north side. Source
Hagar and Ishmael, François Sicard
Democritus meditating on the seat of the soul, Léon-Alexandre Delhomme
- sculpture
The museum's garden houses a remarkable collection of sculptures spanning the 19th to the 21st centuries. These works, arranged among flowerbeds and shady trees, provide a captivating introduction to a visit to the museum.
The sculptural ensemble illustrates the evolution of artistic styles over the centuries. Neoclassical pieces such as "Giotto tracing a ram's head on the sand" by Jean François Legendre-Héral (1838-1842) sit alongside romantic works such as "Chactas in meditation on the tomb of Atala" by Francisque Duret (1836), marking the beginnings of the romantic movement.
The west gallery houses three imposing marble sculptures, including
- “Castalie” by Eugène Guillaume (1873-1883),
- “Agar” by François Sicard (1893-1897),
- and “Gilliatt and the Octopus” by Émile Joseph Carlier (1879-1890),
while two bronzes by Auguste Rodin, “Meditation with Arms” and “The Shadow”, introduce modernity into the collection.
More contemporary works, such as “Carpeaux au travail” by Antoine Bourdelle (1908-1910) and “Le Secrétariat” by Étienne-Martin (1962), also enrich the garden. In addition, installations such as “Terra” by Claudio Parmiggiani (1989) and a creation by Bernar Venet (2018) testify to the continuity of contemporary art in this evolving space.
Each sculpture tells a story, illustrates an artistic movement and offers a unique aesthetic experience, inviting visitors to explore the multiple facets of sculptural creation across the centuries.
