Did you know that what remains of the Tour des Deux Amants offers more than just a view? It echoes with whispers of history and lost love. Today, we stand near the site of what was once a prominent structure linked to intriguing legends. The Tour des Deux Amants is a belvedere that overlooks the Saône and Lyon.
Originally, the Tour des Deux Amants was accessible via the Fort de Vaise, a defensive structure constructed between 1831 and 1848. The fort now hosts the Fondation Renaud. It is a cultural organization that holds exhibitions and conferences. The fort’s architecture is a blend of old and new. A high section was added in the 1980s. The older part features casemates converted into exhibition spaces. These spaces connect to more modern areas.
The name “Deux Amants,” or “Two Lovers,” carries a romantic yet mysterious weight. The name comes from a tomb from the Roman era. The tomb was called the Tomb of the Two Lovers. It stood in this area but was demolished in 1707. It was said to have obstructed traffic. The area itself, known as Clos des Deux-Amants, has a rich past.
Imagine Lyon in 1492. King Charles VIII founded the Couvent des Cordeliers de l’Observance here. This was on the site of a former hospital, the Hôpital des Deux-Amants. The king laid the first stone in the presence of Queen Anne de Bretagne. The convent saw several royal visits. Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne visited in 1507. François I visited in 1515, en route to Italy. Henri II came in 1548.
Later, another religious institution, the Monastère des Franciscaines de Sainte-Élisabeth, was established. It was next to the Cordeliers de l’Observance. Louis XIV and the queen mother visited the monastery in 1658.
The land also served scientific purposes. The École Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, a veterinary school, moved here. Architects like Louis Sainte-Marie Perrin and Tony Garnier shaped the school’s buildings. The school even had a jardin botanique.
In 1980, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon, a music and dance conservatory, was established here. The conservatory repurposed existing structures. The library became a media library. A concert hall was installed where the first cesarean on a mare had been performed.
Today, the Tour des Deux Amants provides a vantage point. It allows us to reflect on Lyon’s layered history. From religious sanctuaries to scientific institutions and artistic havens, this area has seen it all. Though the original tomb is gone, the name lives on. It is a reminder of love and history intertwined. The Tour des Deux Amants remains. It is a spot where the past whispers to those who pause to listen.