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All France Lyon 'Le Mur des Canuts'

'Le Mur des Canuts'

Lyon's "Wall of the Silk Weavers" is one of the largest murals in Europe.

Lyon, France

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Amrapali
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Le Mur des Canuts.   Amrapali / Atlas Obscura User
Le Mur des Canuts.   Amrapali / Atlas Obscura User
Lyon - La Croix-Rousse - le Mur des Canuts   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Pic of me taken by my wife. You said no selfiess but i thought you’d enjoy the concept. I was sitting pressing my back to the wall to make it look like I was sitting on the “ledge.”   bobm185 / Atlas Obscura User
Lyon - La Croix-Rousse - le Mur des Canuts   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lyon - La Croix-Rousse - le Mur des Canuts   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lyon - La Croix-Rousse - le Mur des Canuts   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
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‘Le Mur des Canuts’ Detail   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Le Mur des Canuts.   Greger Ravik/cc by 2.0
Lyon - La Croix-Rousse - le Mur des Canuts   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Painted in the trompe-l’oeil style (trick the eye), "Le Mur des Canuts" is a gigantic mural depicting ordinary life in the La Croix-Rousse neighborhood of Lyon, France. Hyperrealistic in imagery and packed with intricate details, this massive mural is considered one of the largest displays of public art in Europe. 

CitéCréation, a group of mural painters, initially created the mural in 1987 to pay homage to the history of the neighborhood. La Croix-Rousse was the economic nerve center of Lyon’s silk industry during the 19th century. The word canut in French means "weaver" and refers to the silk weavers who lived and worked in La Croix-Rousse. In the late 19th century, nearly half of Lyon's working population was employed by the industry. 

Although La Croix-Rousse is no longer the hive of silk weaving activity, the quarter still takes pride in its moniker of being "the hill that works." It's this indomitable spirit that led La Croix-Rousse’s silk workers to revolt against the silk merchants in 1831, protesting their harsh working conditions. 

Since its inception, the mural has been updated twice, once in 1997 and then again in 2013, keeping in tune with the transformations of the neighborhood. The mural is filled with colorful buildings, high windows rendered in pastel shades, a stone stairway, a small theater Guignol, and of course, a silk shop. The landscape of the painting also features several Croix-roussiens, the inhabitants of La Croix-Rousse. Life-like and three-dimensional in effect, this mural is an integral part of the architectural heritage of present-day Lyon.

Related Tags

Murals Paintings Cities Public Art

Know Before You Go

The mural is located on Boulevard des Canuts. The nearest metro stop is Hénon on line C of the Lyon metro.

Community Contributors

Added By

Amrapali

Edited By

philoursmars, bobm185, Kerry Wolfe, Xavixavir

  • philoursmars
  • bobm185
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • Xavixavir

Published

October 17, 2019

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Sources
  • http://feelfrance.fr/en/attractions/le-mur-des-canuts
  • https://en.lyon-france.com/Discover-Lyon/heritage-unesco/Remarkable-sites-and-monuments/canut-wall-painting
  • https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/france/rhone-alpes/rhone/lyon/mur-des-canuts
  • Forging Political Identity: Silk and Metal Workers in Lyon, France, 1900-1939, Keith Mann, Berghahn Books, 2010
'Le Mur des Canuts'
36 Boulevard des Canuts
Lyon
Lyon, 69004
France
45.778085, 4.827952
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Maison des Canuts (Silk Workers' Center)

Lyon, France

miles away

Jardin Rosa Mir

Lyon, France

miles away

Église du Bon-Pasteur

Lyon, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lyon

Lyon

France

Places 16
Stories 4

Nearby Places

Maison des Canuts (Silk Workers' Center)

Lyon, France

miles away

Jardin Rosa Mir

Lyon, France

miles away

Église du Bon-Pasteur

Lyon, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lyon

Lyon

France

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Stories 4

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