Between legendary tales, myths, and misinformation, the history of the equestrian statue of Louis XIV is full of twists and turns. It all began in 1658, when Louis XIV decided to rename Place Bellecour to Place Royale in his honor. To mark this event, the city of Lyon planned to install an equestrian statue of the king and renamed the square “Louis-le-Grand.” The creation of this statue was entrusted to… Martin Desjardins, Parisian sculptor.
Long journey
After its completion in Paris in 1694, it was decided to transport it to Lyon. Due to its considerable weight, the transport was carried out by river and sea, passing through Rouen, the Strait of Gibraltar, Toulon, Arles, and then up the Rhône to Oullins. However, upon its arrival in 1701, the statue capsized.
It took another twelve years to install it on its base, adorned with allegorical representations of the Saône and the Rhône, created by Coustou in 1715.
Status destroyed during the revolution
With the advent of the Revolution in 1792, a decree mandated the destruction of all royal representations so that the bronze could be recycled for the manufacture of cannons. The disappearance of royal effigies then served as a pretext for the military's need for bronze.
A new status
It was only in 1825, during the Restoration, that the city of Lyon decided to commission a new equestrian statue of Louis XIV from François-Frédéric Lemot, a sculptor from Lyon. Because of its imposing dimensions – 5.70 metres high and weighing 15 tonnes – Lemot called on a Parisian founder. The statue was transported to Lyon by land, pulled by a cart drawn by 10 horses, requiring twelve days to reach its destination.
