Place Antonin Poncet

1-22 Place Antonin Poncet, (Quai de docteur Gailleton), Lyon, France

 

Place A. Poncet is tucked between place Bellecour and the banks of the Rhone. It is a relatively recent addition to Lyon's urban squares as it was laid out in 1934 when the Hopital de la Charite was demolished to make way for the Post Office building (Hotel des Postes). This square has plenty of greenery, benches and fountains that could make its neighbour, place Bellecour, jealous. The tower that stands opposite the Post Office is a monument to the hospital for the needy, built in 1665-66 and a good example of civil Renaissance architecture with Doric and Ionic columns. The Hotel des Postes was built from 1935 to 1938 by M. Roux-Spitz and typifies the massive, solid architecture of the 30s. Its long facade is partly inspired by the Hotel Dieu with long vertical windows, but is much more austere. If you happen to need something inside this Post Office, have a look at the fresco by L. Bouquet (1937) that illustrates the "fluide messager", which was how Ampere described electricity.

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• Attraction Type: Monuments and Landmarks

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