Place du Griffon, Square in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, France

Place du Griffon is a small, triangular square in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, just above the opera house, sitting at the junction of rue Saint-Claude, rue de Lorette, and the small rue des Feuillants. The ground is paved with white marble from Montalieu, and the surrounding buildings, five to six floors tall, reflect the typical Lyon architecture of the 19th century, with two stone benches and a single tree at the center.

The streets of this quarter were laid out around the 14th century, and silk manufacturers and workers settled there from the start. The Porte du Griffon, a city gate standing a little above rue Terraille, was demolished in 1539. The junction of rue Lorette, rue Saint-Claude and rue du Griffon became the place du Griffon by municipal decision of 24 August 1866.

The name of the square comes from an old inn sign showing a griffin, a mythical creature with a lion's body and an eagle's head and wings. These animal symbols were common in Lyon and were used to identify taverns and shops throughout the city.

The square is easy to reach on foot and sits a short walk from the opera house and the main streets of the 1st arrondissement. It became a pedestrian zone in 2005, which makes it comfortable to walk through, though some drivers still occasionally enter by mistake.

The square's name comes from a shop sign depicting a griffin, a mythical creature, rather than from any coat of arms. The Porte du Griffon, a gate of the old quarter, stood a little above rue Terraille and was demolished in 1539. The square itself was created by municipal decision on 24 August 1866, when the crossroads of rue Lorette, rue Saint-Claude and rue du Griffon was turned into a square.