The threads of history and water have always run parallel. In Lyon, more than anywhere else. The Rhône and the Saône, of course, but what about the ancient aqueducts, the riverbanks, its bridges, and remarkable sites like the former Caluire waterworks or the Cusset hydroelectric power plant…Did you also know that Lyon has no fewer than 80 ornamental fountains? One of them is the very symbol of water in Lyon.
The Bartholdi Fountain: 21 metric tons of history
Although it seems firmly rooted today on Place des Terreaux, the Bartholdi Fountain has had quite a history. Created in the 19th century by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi—world-renowned for designing the Statue of Liberty in New York— the fountain was originally intended for the city of Bordeaux.
But the commission proved too costly, and City Hall failed to honor its commitment. This was infuriating for the sculptor, who must have spent quite a bit of time on it… Without a moment’s hesitation—and having since risen to superstar status thanks to the Statue of Liberty—Bartholdi decided to showcase it at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, where it caused a sensation. The mayor of Lyon, Antoine Gailleton, was won over: the fountain would be coming to Lyon!
Originally intended to symbolize the Garonne River for the city of Bordeaux, the female figure would henceforth represent France, and the four horses would embody the country’s major rivers. It was inaugurated on September 22, 1892, across from City Hall. At that time, the Lumière brothers’ cinema had not yet been invented, the silk industry was giving way to the automobile industry, the Brasserie Georges and the Café des Fédérations were already open, and Sadi Carnot would be assassinated two years later… Lyon was in the midst of a whirlwind of change.
A hundred years after its inauguration, in 1992, the city of Lyon decided to redevelop Place des Terreaux. The fountain was moved to the north side of the square to be re-inaugurated. It was listed as a historic monument in 1995.
A fountain that got a facelift in 2016
It weighs 21 metric tons, has a span of 9 meters, and stands 4.85 meters tall. Despite its Herculean stature, the fountain is nonetheless a colossus… with feet of clay. It took more than 18 months of restoration work between 2016 and 2017 to dismantle, repair, clean, and reassemble the pieces one by one in order to restore them to their former glory.
Even today, the fountain continues to inspire admiration among the people of Lyon and, above all, among experts. Creating a fountain that is more a work of fine art than a piece of structural engineering—and incorporating a whole series of technical innovations to achieve an absolutely incredible artistic effect— is nothing short of genius.
Promise us that the next time you pass by Place des Terreaux, you’ll stop and take a moment to admire it. We’d bet our lives (yes, even underwater) that you’ll spot details there you’ve never noticed before. Isn’t that, after all, what defines a masterpiece? Absolutely.
