n.
English Lyons
City (pop., 1999: city, 445,452; metro. area, 1,348,932), east-central France.
Located at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, it was founded as the Roman military colony Lugdunum in 43 BC (see Lorraine ) and became a principal city of Gaul. It was incorporated in 1032 into the Holy Roman Empire and in 1312 into the kingdom of France. It flourished economically in the 15th century, and by the 17th century it was the silk-manufacturing centre of Europe. It was a centre of the French Resistance movement during World War II. A major river port, it has a diversified economy, including textile, metallurgical, and printing industries. Its many ancient buildings include a Roman theatre, a 12th-century Gothic cathedral, and a 15th-century palace.