Remember those old family albums? The Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière in Lyon is kind of like that. It holds stories of families and their lives. It holds stories of Lyon’s history. This isn’t just a burial ground. It’s a chronicle etched in stone.
Established in 1859 the Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière became necessary due to Lyon’s population boom. The old cemetery simply wasn’t big enough. So this new space was created a short distance south. The architect Antoine-Marie Chenavard designed it. He used a radioconcentric layout similar to the Loyasse Cemetery. Over time, the Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière expanded to become Lyon’s largest cemetery. It now spans 18 hectares.
As you wander here in the Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière you will notice many things. Imposing monuments mark family importance. The cemetery has varied funerary equipment. There is a common ground for individual burials lasting five years. There are land concessions and vaults. Columbariums hold urns and gardens offer cremation spaces. Even rose bushes serve as cremation memorials. A temporary vault and ossuary also exist.
Keep an eye out for the Jardin de la Mémoire. This “Garden of Remembrance” offers solace. Families can reflect where ashes have been scattered. A computer terminal helps locate those without marked graves. It displays identities of those whose ashes were scattered or whose graves were reclaimed.
It’s interesting to note the connection to crime. Back in 1908, Jules Bonnot, an anarchist, lived near here. He stayed with the Thollon family who were cemetery keepers. Bonnot’s mistress was Judith Thollon. He ran a mechanics workshop and also targeted regional safes. After a murder by Bonnot a search of the keeper’s house revealed tools and bomb-making materials. The Thollons were convicted of aiding Bonnot’s crimes. The house is still standing and is a monument to crime.
The Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière also has a monument to Italian soldiers. It honors those who died during World War I. Inaugurated in 1925 it features a Carrara marble statue called “la Grande madre” or “the Great Mother”. It symbolizes the Italian homeland. The Italian community in Lyon and Milan’s silk association funded this statue.
Look for the crematorium. Architect Etienne Curny built it. It started operating in 1911. Columbariums and a Garden of Remembrance surround it. Landscape architect Pedro Andrade Silva designed a space for ceremonies and contemplation. Broken steles of Rocheret stone evoke memories of the dead.
Many prominent figures rest within these grounds. The Lumière brothers of cinema fame are buried here. Also, Marius Berliet a car manufacturer is here.
The Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière holds countless tombs of special interest. The main path leading to the central roundabout offers amazing views of detailed tombs. One tomb proclaims Jean-Philippe Anstett as “French by birth”. He was president of patriotic societies and consul for Alsatians-Lorrainers in Lyon. His epitaph reflects the desire to reclaim Alsace-Moselle after 1870. Family tombs showcase Lyon’s industrial success. The Lumière, Milliat, Berliet and Perrache families all have tombs here.
So many details adorn the statuary. Look for babies angels and family dogs. Mourners watch and angels soar. The cemetery also features lions. They are more common here than in other French cemeteries.
The Nouveau Cimetière de la Guillotière preserves Lyon’s past. It’s a reminder of lives lived and legacies left behind. Take a moment to appreciate the art the history and the stories held within these walls.