Whispers of history linger here on Rue des Deux Amants. This unassuming street in Lyon’s 9th arrondissement holds secrets. It’s more than just a road. It’s a pathway through centuries of religious devotion scientific endeavor and artistic expression.
Rue des Deux Amants gets its name from a Roman tomb. The Tomb of the Two Lovers stood at the northern entrance of Lyon. Demolished in 1707 it blocked traffic. Its purpose remains a mystery. Historians offer various explanations. Was it the burial place of Herod Antipas and Herodias? Or perhaps two Augustan priests named Amandus? Some suggest a brother and sister. The tomb’s demolition revealed nothing. The mystery endures.
The land Rue des Deux Amants occupies has a rich past. In 1492 King Charles VIII founded the Convent of the Cordeliers of the Observance here. He laid the first stone with Queen Anne of Brittany. Royal visits continued. Louis XII Anne of Brittany Francis I and Henry II all came. The convent suffered during religious wars. Calvinists sacked it in 1562.
Later a convent of Franciscan nuns of Saint Elisabeth stood on this very site. Their original convent was too small. They acquired land near the Cordeliers. They received important donations from the Marshal of Villeroy. The nuns numbered seventy-seven before the revolution.
Then came the National Veterinary School of Lyon. It was transferred here in 1794. Many architects worked on the buildings. The school moved in 1978. Its former location now houses the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Lyon. The conservatory opened in 1988.
Today Rue des Deux Amants reflects this layered history. The buildings hint at past uses. The gardens echo the medicinal and botanical gardens that once flourished. This quiet street pulsates with the echoes of religious orders scientific pursuits and musical creativity. It’s a place where history whispers secrets to those who listen closely. The mystery of the Two Lovers continues to intrigue us but Rue des Deux Amants tells many other stories.