Chapelle de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon, Baroque chapel in Bellecour district, Lyon, France.
The Chapelle de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon is a baroque chapel in the 2nd arrondissement with a single nave and side chapels arranged for clear sight lines. Its basilica-style interior allows visitors to see directly toward the choir from most angles in the space.
Construction of this chapel started in 1637 under architect Guillaume Ducellet and was delayed by a plague outbreak before completion in 1655. The project was part of equipping an adjacent hospital and reflects the religious importance placed on such institutions in that century.
Paintings by Gioacchino Serangeli and François de Loras decorate the interior walls, while sculptor Joseph-Hugues Fabisch created the stone carvings. These artworks shape how the chapel feels when you walk through it, revealing the skill of craftspeople from that era.
The chapel is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM and you can enter from street level. Regular masses are held throughout the week, so check the schedule before planning a visit if you want to attend one.
The interior uses trompe-l'oeil techniques that create optical depth and work with natural light to make the space feel larger. Gold materials enhance these visual effects and create the kind of ornamental activity that was typical of baroque design in this period.
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