Grande fresque de la gare de Lyon, Mural in Paris-Gare-de-Lyon, France
The Grande Fresque de la Gare de Lyon is a 100-meter-long mural in the upper section of the station hall, displaying twenty destinations along the Paris-Menton railway line. It consists of oil paintings on canvas mounted to the walls.
Jean-Baptiste Olive began the work in 1900 with the first six Mediterranean cities, while additional sections were added in the 1920s. A final expansion took place in 1981.
The panels show French cities from Paris to Menton, displaying regional landscapes and typical buildings of each place. Visitors notice how the architecture and surroundings change along the journey toward the Mediterranean.
The mural is located in the ticketing hall between Halls 1 and 2 and is easy to spot while walking through the passenger corridor. The best view is had when you take time to look upward.
The work bears the name fresco despite not being created with true fresco technique, but rather with oil paintings on canvas. This detail is often overlooked by visitors who might expect traditional fresco methods.
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