St Michel at the top of the Fourvière Basilique
The Fourvière hill has been associated to the catholic faith for centuries
and more specifically
to the Blessed Virgin worship. The basilica was started in 1872 and was designed
by Pierre
Bossan and Sainte-Marie-Pierre. The building was erected to thank the Blessed
Virgin Mary
who had protected the town during the 1870 war with the prussians.
Fourvière & St Jean
That "mystic citadel" has a strict and defensive facade that protects a rich inner decoration.
The nave
The Fourvière hill is the meeting place on the 8th december fest. That fest was created in 1852 when the statue of the Blessed Virgin by Fabisch was installed on the top of the Fourvière hill.
Theoritically that unveilling should have occured on the 8th of september but had been postponed. That original date was chosen because every year since 1643, the town councillors walks in procession to the top of the hill to thank the Virgin Mary who had protected the town from the plague.
You can notice, next to the basilica a huge metallic tower erected in 1891 by some zealous anticlericals that did want to let the top of the town to the basilica. That's why the tower is 35 meters higher than the basilica!
Basilica seen from St Jean
