Before you stands the Manécanterie a small Romanesque building in Lyon. Its history stretches back centuries. It’s older than almost any other structure in Lyon except for Roman ruins.
Originally a dining hall for the canons of Saint Jean Cathedral. The Manécanterie later became a parish choir school. A school where young boys learned to sing for the church. This explains its name which means ‘to sing in the morning’. Imagine the echoes of youthful voices filling this space centuries ago.
Built in the 11th century its style blends Romanesque and Gothic influences. But beneath the later additions lie the foundations of structures from the 2nd and 8th centuries. Layers of history are built into its very walls.
Sadly the Manécanterie suffered damage during the siege of Lyon in 1562. Protestant troops led by François de Beaumont ravaged it. The sculptures of saints were badly damaged. This violence left an enduring scar. The building underwent many changes. New windows were added. A floor was built above the frieze. The ground floor even became shops.
After the French Revolution it became national property. Then in 1806 the parish bought it back. It housed altar boys. A nearby building was demolished in 1809 to make way for an apartment building. That apartment building was later torn down in 1866.
In 1862 the Manécanterie was classified as a monument historique. Its importance to French history was officially recognised. Notice the current facade. A blind arcade with foliage sits atop small columns and pilasters. Red bricks arranged geometrically add to its visual appeal.
Since 1930 the Manécanterie houses the Trésor de la Cathédrale de Saint-Jean. A museum displaying liturgical objects. Old books jewelry clothing and tapestries are on display. These items tell another story of the Cathedral’s rich past. A past marked by both devotion and destruction. A past woven into the fabric of this remarkable building. A past you can almost feel standing here before the Manécanterie.