La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière: The Other Notre Dame Church of France (Old and Elegant Lyon Series 5 )

La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière 
The Other Notre Dame Church of France
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 5    

Perched at the top of  the Fourvière Hill,

La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière 

is probably the most visible structure in

Lyon as it impressively looms over the city.

Referred by tourists as the other

Notre Dame Church of France,

 

…as it is overshadowed by the

more popular Notre Dame de Paris,

the latter being located in one of

the most popular cities in the world.

The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

was built 1872 dedicated to the Virgin Mary,  

…to honor her for saving of the city of Lyon from the

 bubonic plague epidemic that swept Europe in 1643.

The basilica, is of both Romanesque

and Byzantine architecture by design.

 

 

 

It has four main towers making the church appear like

an upturned elephant with the four towers as legs and

has been called by locals as "the upside-down elephant",

The bell tower is topped with a  

gilded statue of the Virgin Mary.

The church feature priceless fine mosaics, 

 

 

 

 

…ornate religious artworks,

 

 

...and superb ancient stained glass.

 

 

The Basilica, which offers guided tours

 and contains a Museum of Sacred Art, 

…is visited by about 2 million visitors annually.

It is one of the city’s tourist top attractions and

should not be missed by anyone visiting Lyon.

Read other posts for 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series
on the links below: 

Lagrange Aparthotel, Lyon
A Modern Home in Lyon
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 1 

Vieux Lyon  
Old Lyon in Suspended Animation
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 2 

Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste 
A Medieval Cathedral 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 3 

Funiculaires de Fourviere

Easy Way to the Top of Lyon
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 4 

La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière 

The Other Notredame Church of France 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 5  

Tour Métallique de Fourvière  
Half of Eiffel Tower  
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 6 

Restaurant Beyasit 
Pigging Out in Lyon
Old and Elegant LyonSeries 7 

Lyon Medieval Festival 
A Travel back in Time
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 8 

Medieval Bread Pudding 
A Taste of the Past  
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 9

Galeries Lafayette Lyon Part- Dieu
Lyon’s Center of Fashion 
Old and Elegant LyonSeries 10 

McDonald’s Galeries Lafayette 
Feel at Home at McDo 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 11 

Beautiful Bellecour 
Heart of Lyon 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 12   

Walibi Rhone Alps
Themepark Disappointment 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 13

The Village Outlet 
A Lovely French Bargain Outlet 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 14

Vegas Kitchen 
Taste of America in France 
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 15

Parc de la Tete D’or 
Peace and Quiet in the City
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 16 

Lyon Zoo 
Entrance- Free Zoo  
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 17  

Loving Lyon 
A Peaceful and Friendly City  
Old and Elegant Lyon Series 1