Rue des Antonins

What secrets does a street hold? Let’s uncover the story of Rue des Antonins in Lyon. Rue des Antonins connects Place Saint-Jean to Rue de la Bombarde. More a passage than a street, Rue des Antonins is remarkably narrow, especially at its exit onto Place Saint-Jean. It opens between two sides of Rue de la Bombarde. On the east side stand two old houses. One is a single story. The other has three stories. You’ll also see the gate of the parish priest’s house. On the west side, a white wall conceals the courtyard of a group of tall buildings on Rue Tramassac and Rue de la Bombarde. The name, Rue des Antonins, might evoke the Antonine dynasty of Roman emperors. This dynasty ruled from 96 to 192. Emperor Hadrian, one of the Antonines, lived in Lyon in 121 and 122. He restored aqueducts, the theater, and the amphitheater. Some believe the street’s name comes from a legendary temple. This temple, supposedly located where the cathedral now stands, was dedicated to Antoninus Pius. He was born in 86 in Lanuvium and ruled Rome from 138 to 161. Under Antoninus Pius, the Roman Empire reached its greatest extent and enjoyed a period of peace. Antoninus was known as a homebody. It’s unlikely he ever visited Lugdunum, ancient Lyon. A more likely origin of the street name is the medieval seigneurie des Antonins. The street was previously called Rue de Talaru. During the Middle Ages, Rue des Antonins was part of the cloister of Saint Jean. It ended in a dead end at the rampart of Rue de la Bombarde. The modern houses on the west side likely replaced older structures. These were destroyed in a 1931 disaster that also brought down the old houses on Rue Tramassac. Today, tucked away on Rue des Antonins, you’ll find the parish priest’s house of Saint Jean and a workshop for restoring easel paintings. There’s also an architect’s office on the street and a craftsman’s workshop in the traboule. This hidden gem in the heart of Lyon holds centuries of stories.