À Lyon, history is just beneath our feet... but at the Loyasse cemetery, it has dramatically resurfaced! Perched on the Fourvière hill — a strategic and highly symbolic spot of ancient Lugdunum — the redevelopment project of the cemetery has uncovered an archaeological treasure worthy of a Lyonnais epic.
The monumental gate of Lugdunum dating back to the 1st century
Since 2023, archaeologists have been patiently digging into the ground for the construction of a new ossuary. The result? A historic jackpot! Digging a bit further north of the original area, they stumbled upon the foundations of a monumental Roman gate, dated to the 1st century A.D. This is a first for Lyon. With its massive towers over 8 meters in diameter and walls 1.5 meters thick, this imposing entrance spoke volumes about the prestige of the capital of the Gauls. Back then, it was like arriving in the big city!
and through an XXL triumphal arch.
© Service archéologique de la Ville de Lyon
But that's not all. Right next to it is an exceptional Roman road that has been uncovered, in a downright stunning state of preservation. It’s believed to be the famous Ocean Road, the very one that connected Lugdunum to the English Channel. Just that! The perfectly aligned slabs rest on a masonry foundation designed to tame the slopes of Fourvière. Roman engineering at its finest!
A glorious historical past beneath the Lyon cobblestones
And to top off this historical millefeuille: a defensive ditch nearly 2000 years old has also been uncovered. Dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries, it was dug to defend the city during the Battle of Lyon in 197, which pitted Clodius Albinus against Emperor Septimius Severus.
rave;re. A unique vestige, a silent testimony of a time when Lyon was the stage for epic battles.
© Archaeological Service of the City of Lyon
In short, between ancient Game of Thrones and an archaeological Netflix series, Lyon continues to prove that beneath its cobblestones lie stories larger than life.