Place des Jacobins, Lyon | Square in the Bellecour District

Place des Jacobins is a square in the Bellecour district of Lyon. It was called Place Confort until 1782, after which it became Place des Jacobins. The name refers to the Jacobin religious order, also known as the ordre des Prêcheurs or ordre dominicain. The Jacobins occupied the buildings on the south side of the square, and the site is linked to the nearby Jacobins church.

Historically, the area north of the Jacobins church became a public square in 1556. In medieval times, it had a triangular shape and was enclosed by walls, and it served as the end point of rue Mercière. The name Place Confort came from a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Confort near the square. Over time, the square underwent several name changes, including Place de la Fraternité in 1794, Place de la Préfecture when the Rhône prefecture was housed there under Louis-Philippe, and Place de l’Impératrice under Napoléon III. The old pyramid was rebuilt in 1740, and the surrounding walls were later demolished, with an obelisk by Philippe Lalyame erected in their place.

Nearby Objects

Location of Place des Jacobins

Place des Jacobins is located in the Bellecour district in the city of Lyon. The site is identified by the introductory reference as being at La place des Jacobins, placing it within this central urban area. Based on the available facts, its significance here is primarily geographical, as a named public place within Lyon's city fabric.

Origin of the Name

Until 1782, the site was known as place Confort. After that date, it took the name place des Jacobins, referring to the Jacobin religious order, also called the ordre des Prcheurs or ordre dominicain. The Jacobins occupied the buildings on the south side of the place. The name recalls their presence and their historical role. According to the provided facts, Philippe Auguste gave the Jacobins a building in Paris, which they used as a starting point for pilgrimages to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Later, under Louis-Philippe between 1830 and 1848, the building housed the prefcture du Rhone.

Historical Names and Urban Changes

The site north of the Jacobins church became a public square in 1556. In medieval times it had a triangular shape and was enclosed by walls, and it marked the end point of rue Merciere in medieval Lyon. The walls were later demolished and an obelisk by Philippe Lalyame was erected. Horace Cardon rebuilt the well at his own expense, and the old pyramid in the square was rebuilt in 1740 before being destroyed in 1793 during the Revolution. Only the pedestal of the fountain remained until 1813. A new fountain was then erected in 1856, funded by Louis Danton and designed by Lienard.

The square changed names several times. It was called place Confort until 1782, a name derived from a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Confort near the site. After 1782 it became place des Jacobins. In 1794 it was renamed place de la Fraternite. Under Louis-Philippe, when the Jacobins building hosted the Rhone prefecture, it was called place de la Prefecture, and under Napoleon III it was named place de l'Imperatrice in honor of Eugenie de Montijo. The square likely acquired its current name when architect Le Pautre built the Jacobins church side portal.

The area also reflects the changing uses of the former Couvent des Jacobins. By imperial decree, the square was assigned the unsold part of the convent for prefecture services. Prefect Pierre-Marie Taillepied de Bondy showed little enthusiasm for the project, which was later resumed by prefect Christophe de Chabrol de Crouzol. Plans were drawn by Francois-Alexandre Cavenne and Antoine-Marie Chenavard, and the works were completed in 1819. The resulting complex had three wings forming a U around a courtyard enclosed by a grille. Between 1817 and 1818, the church built in 1450 by the Florentine Nation was demolished. Other chapels on the site had belonged to confraternities such as gold beaters and shooters.

The square also had a notable public life. Baron des Adrets modified street access after 1562 to improve the connection to place Bellecour. Rabelais mentioned the bavards de Confort, referring to idlers gathering at place Notre-Dame de Confort in Lyon. Around 1840, the Gymnase lyonnais near the square performed vaudevilles and melodramas. The municipal council later decided to add monuments to Place des Jacobins and Place de la Republique.

Design and Completion of the Monument

The monument at Place des Jacobins was developed through a series of historical competitions and commissions. Historique awarded two second prizes, including one to Gaspard Andre for his project Art, and later entrusted him with the final study, approving his project in May. A second contest then assigned Degeorges the design of the four main statues. The statue of Hippolyte Flandrin was executed in Paris, while the other three were made in Lyon. The contract deadline for the statues was extended to 1885, allowing the work to be completed. Historique then received the completed statue work and inaugurated the monument that still exists today. On 18 May 1992, the fountain was registered as a supplementary historical monument.

Redevelopment and Restoration of the Square

Place des Jacobins has undergone a series of redevelopment and restoration works that have gradually reshaped its appearance. During World War II, building number 6 was erected on the square, replacing an old building with an arched facade. In the first decade of the 21st century, a redevelopment contest was launched for the square and awarded in summer 2007 to landscaper Jacqueline Osty.

From 2011 to 2012, the fountain received a detailed restoration. Since 2013, the square has also seen improvements to its sidewalks and the sidewalks around the fountain, along with the planting of trees and shrubs and the restoration of the facades bordering the square. In 2024, the west sidewalk was redeveloped by being widened and made greener.

By 2026, the planting program had continued with three oaks in the green strip on the west sidewalk, two oaks in front of the Cafe des Jacobins, one magnolia in the green strip bordering rue Emile-Zola, and two magnolias in the green strip bordering rues Merciere and de Brest. These interventions show an ongoing effort to combine preservation, landscaping, and public space improvement across the square.

Protest Actions at the Fountain

The fountain at Place des Jacobins has been the site of activist actions involving colored water demonstrations. In some ecologist-linked protests, the water was colored green. In other demonstrations connected to humanitarian or union causes, the water was colored red. These actions show that the fountain has also served as a visible setting for political expression.

Recent Public Order Events

Place des Jacobins was the site of a clash between ultra-left and ultra-right militants on April 28, 2023. In response to tensions involving demonstrations in the Vieux-Lyon neighborhood, Historique banned both groups from demonstrating there. Law enforcement intervened to stop the face-to-face confrontation at the square.

Public Events at Place des Jacobins

Place des Jacobins and the Fontaine des Jacobins are regularly used as a setting for public events in Lyon. During the 2015 world festival of roses, the fountain became the emblem of the event and was covered with white, pink, and red roses. The square is also identified as one of the epicenters of the Lyon Braderie Festival every second weekend of October, when floral and artistic exhibitors are organized in Presquile.

The Fontaine des Jacobins has hosted artistic installations during the Fete des Lumieres since the festival's second edition in 2000. These interventions have varied between projections and luminous objects that transform the fountain. Patrice Warrener's chromolithe illumination artwork was presented there four times, and his Jacobins act 4 work was shown for the 2024 edition at Place des Jacobins. In 2025, the Lumignons du coeur were displayed on the square during the Fete des Lumieres.

The square has also been used for more informal public events, including a roller disco party in the evening where people skate around the fountain. During this event, Place des Jacobins was lit with a disco ball and projectors.

Architectural Features and Recorded Sides

The documented heritage references for Place des Jacobins focus on specific buildings and street fronts. Building number 1 is noted for its two rectangular lateral domes, based on plans by Frédéric Giniez from 1860. The records also describe the west side, the northwest corner, and the north side of the square as they appeared before the 2013 redevelopment. In addition, the north side includes the northeast corner occupied by the Mercure Lyon-Beaux-Arts hotel, at 75 rue Edouard-Herriot, along with number 77 of the same street. These references show the square as a place defined not only by its open space but also by the architectural character of its surrounding edges.