Jardin Rosa Mir is a garden in the centre of Lyon’s La Croix-Rousse quarter, in the 4th arrondissement, housed in the courtyard of the building at No. 83 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse and accessed through a path at No. 87. It was created by Jules Senis, a tiler and bricklayer artisan who was a Spanish anarchist and fled to France during the Spanish Civil War. After being diagnosed with cancer and recovering following several years in hospital, Senis vowed to build a garden if he left the hospital, and he devoted the last twenty-five years of his life to Jardin Rosa Mir, which he dedicated to Rosa Mir Mercader.

The garden covers 400 square metres and is composed of many columns topped with succulent plants, gantries and ties decorated with seashells, stones, coral and desert roses. Its plantings are mostly geraniums, ivy, lemon trees, prickly pear, roses, agaves and weeds. A fountain about three metres high, covered with multicoloured stones, stands at the centre, and an altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary is located on the left side. The decor is inspired by Spanish art and draws on Antoni Gaudi’s work in Barcelona, such as Park Güell and the Sagrada Família. Its originality is often compared with Ferdinand Cheval’s work. The garden has held the label Patrimoine du XXe siècle and has belonged to the City of Lyon since 1983.

◎ Nearby Objects

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  Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse 100 m away
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  Maison des Canuts 400 m away
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  Gare de Lyon-Croix-Rousse 750 m away
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  Église Saint-Augustin 750 m away
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  Église Saint-Bernard 800 m away

Location of Jardin Rosa Mir

Jardin Rosa Mir is located in the center of the La Croix-Rousse quarter in the 4th arrondissement of Lyon. It was created by Jules Senis and is housed in a courtyard at No. 83 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse. Access to the site is provided through a path at No. 87 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse.

Origins of Jardin Rosa Mir

Jardin Rosa Mir was created by Jules Senis, a tiler and bricklayer artisan. Senis was a Spanish anarchist who fled to France to escape the Spanish Civil War. After being diagnosed with cancer, he spent several years in hospital and later recovered. He had vowed to build a garden if he left the hospital, and he fulfilled that promise by creating Jardin Rosa Mir. He devoted the last twenty-five years of his life to the garden. The history of the garden was dedicated to Rosa Mir Mercader.

Design and Recognition

Jardin Rosa Mir covers an area of 400 square meters and is built from many columns topped with succulent plants, as well as gantries and ties decorated with seashells, stones, coral, and desert roses. The garden's central feature is a fountain about three meters high, covered with multicolored stones. On the left side, there is an altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its plantings are mainly geraniums, ivy, lemon trees, prickly pear, roses, agaves, and weeds.

The garden's decoration is inspired by Spanish art and draws on the work of Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, including Park Guel and the Sagrada Familia. Its originality often evokes the work of Ferdinand Cheval. Jardin Rosa Mir has held the label Patrimoine du XXe siecle and has belonged to the City of Lyon since 1983. It is regularly visited by people from around the world and has also been mentioned in Japanese publications. Journalist Pierrick Eberhard described it as a kitsch masterpiece. The garden is open every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October.