2 weeks in France-5-26 to 6/8/2022

3 Days in Lyon, France-5/26/2022 to 5-28/2022

Chapel of L'Hotel-Dieu -5/28/2022

We are on Rue Bellecordiere walking to the Chapel of L'hotel Dieu.

The Notre-Dame-de-Pitié chapel, more commonly known as the Hôtel-Dieu chapel was built between 1637 and 1655 by the architects Ducelet and Chana in Baroque style, on the basis of plans of so called Jesuit churches with a single nave and side chapels.

 Its façade, visible on Place de l'Hôpital, has a very rich Louis XIII style.

The renovation of the facade was completed in 2019, restoring to their initial glory.

Close view of the statue of the pietà on top of the portico.

Robbed of all ornamentation during the revolution, the Chapel was restored to the Church in 1802.   In the 19th Century, donations were used to decorate the Chapel in its current day style. 

The renovation of the chapel, which began in 2012 after a lengthy consultation process, is a long-term project.  The first stage of the renovation involved rendering the chapel both air and water tight, before specialists could commence the delicate process of restoring the internal chapels, one by one.

The main nave with large paintings from the 19th century and stained glass windows

On the left: The Resurrection of Lazarus -Jesus Christ by Francois de Loras -1809

In the center Christ the cross by Joachim Giuseppe Serangeli- 1806

On the right: The good Samaritan by Joseph Chabord, 1807

View of the main nave from the back of the chapel.

The nave is divided in two with a floor carrying the stained glass windows separated from the bottom by a protruding entablature running all along the building. The columns are decorated with pilaster with Corinthian capital that create dropouts breaking the monotony of the building. The nave has a semicircular vault.

Chapelle Saint Jean Baptiste

The baptismal font was installed in this chapel in 1840. the small marble dome and the door of the tabernacle were commissioned in 1842 by Abbey Avril, who was responsible for the first restorations of the chapels.

The 2 statues of the baptism of Christ by Saint Jean Baptiste are plaster casts restored several times.

Baroque polychrome marble pulpit carved from the 18th century.

This pulpit was made for the convent of the Discalced Carmelites and was then recovered by the Hospices civils de Lyon during the French Revolution.

Chapelle Saint Joseph

The chapel was financed on March 16, 1638 by Christophe Liotaud whose arms adorn the key of the arch separating nave and chapel.

Chapelle Notre-Dame de Pitie.

Fabisch's pietà is of classic workmanship. The specific features of this realization are first of all the fact that the author lay Jesus on the left arm of the Virgin, while more traditionally, he is lying on the right arm so that the viewer can see the spear shot. Moreover, Fabisch treated his subject without accentuating the pain of the subject, without grandiloquence.

Chapelle Sainte- Marthe.

The sculpture of Jesus in Martha and Mary is a scene inspired by the Gospel of Luke. Fabisch gave a very contemplative air to Mary, sitting on a stool and leg semi-bent, in an attitude of adoration. This symbol of the opposition between an active and contemplative religious life placed in a chapel dedicated to the Sisters Hospitallers is probably "an incentive to preserve in their lives the part of prayer, as 'good' as the active part.

Organ by the postman Augustin Zeiger from 1852

The organ placed on a grandstand above the entrance was made by the postman Augustin Zeiger, largely thanks to a donation from the Hospitaller sister Françoise Condamin. He was blessed on June 10, 1852 by the Archbishop of Turin.

Chapelle of the relics

The chapel of the relics contains an altar of the 18th century as well as a reliquary and a shrine of Saint Valentine in gilded wood made around 1850.

We are now entering the cloister of L'hotel de Dieu located north of the Chapel of L'hotel Dieu.

Built between 1688 and 1704 on foundations of a 12th century building whose chapel remained. 

A cross surrounded by two magnolias occupies the center of a boxwood garden drawing circular alleys. The cross bears the date of MDCCCXIII, and a dedication to the administrators, to the benefactors of the hospices, especially Sister Olard. You can see a small stone basin.

The courtyard in the cloister

A row of columns supported by a row of arcades gives it a sense of serenity.

You can see the plaques engraved in the name of the donors as well as the amount of the donation and the marks of the stonemasons.

We have a little time before dinner so we found a cafe right in front of the Chapel of L'hotel Dieu.

We got the best table with a great view of the chapel.  Cheers!

NEXT.... Day 3-Dinner at Daniel & Denise