Churches

Temple du Change

Lyon

Temple du Change is a Reformed Protestant church in Lyon, France, located on Place du Change. The building was originally the stock exchange, known as La Loge du Change, and was constructed from 1631 to 1653 on plans by architect Simon Gourdet. It was later altered between 1748 and 1750 under the direction of Soufflot, with refurbishment plans and elevations provided by Jacques-Germain Soufflot and executed by Jean-Baptiste Roche.

The building was enlarged by the demolition of adjacent houses, which added a fifth arch to the façade and a large rear hall. The façade of the first floor was also completely redone. After being abandoned during the French Revolution and briefly used as an inn, it was assigned to Reformed worship in 1803 and inaugurated by the prefect on 21 brumaire year XII. The parish is a member of the Église protestante unie de France. The façade was classified as a historic monument in 1913, and the rest of the lodge, including the staircase, was listed in 2013.

Map showing the location of Temple du Change in Lyon
Location of Temple du Change in Lyon

Nearby Objects

From Stock Exchange to Reformed Church

Temple du Change is a Reformed Protestant church in Lyon, France, located on Place du Change. The building was formerly the stock exchange, known as La Loge du Change. It was constructed from 1631 to 1653 according to plans by the architect Simon Gourdet. Later alterations were carried out under the direction of Soufflot between 1748 and 1750. In 1803, the building was assigned to Protestants, giving it its religious function. The parish belongs to the Eglise protestante unie de France.

From Money Changers Lodge to Reformed Temple

The first lodge for money changers was a small classical building designed by architect Simon Gourdet between 1631 and 1653. Its facade had four arches, with two on each side, but it soon became too small and was modified before 1748. For the refurbishment, architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot provided plans and elevations, and the work was carried out by architect Jean-Baptiste Roche. Adjacent houses were demolished to enlarge the building significantly, adding a fifth arch on the facade and a large rear hall. This hall is as tall and wide as the building itself, rectangular in shape, and covered with a vault resting on four massive pillars. The facade of the first floor was also completely redone.

During the French Revolution, the money changers' lodge was abandoned and briefly used as an inn. In 1803, Napoleont assigned the building to Reformed worship under the organic articles of 18 germinal year X, and it was inaugurated by the prefect on 21 brumaire year XII. Minor changes were made throughout the 19th century, mostly to the interior layout. In 1938, the temple hosted the founding synod of the Reformed Church of France, formed by the merging of several Reformed and Protestant church groups.

The building's facade was classified as a historic monument in 1913, and the rest of the lodge, including the staircase, was listed in 2013. Major restoration work on the entire building began in 2015 under the direction of the city of Lyon.

Galerie of Historical and Contemporary Views

The gallery presents several views connected to the Temple du Change across different periods. It includes an image of the Projet de Robert de Cotte from 1732, which was not realized. It also includes La loge from 1749, a view showing the bells visible from above in 2010, and Le temple illumine at night in 2026. Together, these images document both historical proposals and later visual appearances of the building.