Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière

The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière crowns Fourvière hill at 8 Place de Fourvière in Lyon's 5th arrondissement, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. It stands on the site of the Roman forum of Lugdunum, which gave the hill its name, from forum vetus. A chapel dedicated to the Virgin had stood on the summit since the Middle Ages. The present basilica was built between 1872 and 1896 by the architect Pierre Bossan, after the city's Catholic community made a vow to the Virgin Mary during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 that Lyon would be spared invasion. It was financed by public subscription and consecrated in 1896 and elevated to the status of minor basilica in 1897. The building mixes neo-Byzantine and neo-Romanesque styles, with four corner towers, a monumental façade and a gilded statue of the Virgin on the chapel bell tower, installed in 1852 and celebrated each year during the Fête des Lumières on 8 December. The interior is lavishly decorated with mosaics by Eugène Grasset and others, marble, stained glass and painted vaults. The upper church is the principal space, while the crypt, dedicated to Saint Joseph, offers a more austere setting. Mosaics in the nave depict scenes from the life of the Virgin and episodes in French history, including the vow of 1870. A terrace in front of the basilica gives one of the best panoramas of Lyon, taking in the Saône, the Rhône, the Presqu'île and, on clear days, the Alps. Restoration work in recent decades has cleaned the façade and renewed parts of the interior. The basilica is reached by the Fourvière funicular from Vieux Lyon or by a steep walk up the Montée du Gourguillon. Entry is free, and guided tours, including a rooftop tour, are available at a fee.