Place Bellecour (Bellecour Square), Lyon

Place Bellecour is the third largest square in France, the largest square in Europe that is entirely pedestrian, and the focal centre of Lyon.

In Gallo-Roman times it was an island made of earth and sand left by flood water, and was used for military and commercial purposes. In the 12th century, the Archbishop of Lyon had a vineyard here, for “medicinal purposes”. After being abandoned, the area became a swamp.

In 1562, Baron des Adrets used it to station his troops during his attack on the city. Eventually, the area dried up and became a pastureland. In 1604, King Henry III ordered the city to create a public square in this place, but for some reason the current archbishop was against the idea and the resulting legal wrangle between the monarchy and the clergy went on for another 100+ years.

Finally, in 1708 King Louis XIV won the day and the resulting square opened in 1715, called Louis-le-Grand. During the French Revolution, it was the place of a guillotine.

In the centre of the square, there is an equestrian statue of Louis XIV by Lemor installed in 1825 to replace an earlier statue destroyed in 1793. At the foot of the statue there are two allegorical figures representing the Saône and the Rhône rivers. At the west end of the square are the statues of Antoine de Saint Exupery and the Little Prince.

There are two pavilions on the square, one housing the Tourist Office and the other an art gallery. There is a small play area for children, a fountain and two bars. On several occasions, a huge Ferris wheel is set up here too.