Coat of arms of Lyon

Coat of arms of Lyon
Versions
Escutcheon-only
Armiger	City of Lyon
Adopted	1320 (documented) 1859 (current version)
Crest	A mural crown Or.
Shield	Gules a lion rampant Azure. Upon a chief of Azure three fleur-de-lys Or.
Supporters	two branches of mulberry with silver fruit and full of worms, butterflies and silk buds
Order(s)	the cross of the Legion of Honour, the Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 and the Resistance Medal

The coat of arms of Lyon, the ancient capital of the Gauls, reflects the rich history of the city across different periods of its existence and the power that has exercised authority over the city. It was created in 1320, although the current version, which dates from 1859, reprises the form that it had before the end of the Ancien Régime after having undergone several temporary modifications.

Its heraldic description is the following one:

In gules field, a rampant lion of silver, increased of a head of azure laden with three flowers of gold lilies. The whole surrounded by two branches of mulberry, fruity silver and full of worms, butterflies and silk buds. To the crest, a mural crown of four towers, three in sight, of gold. Protruding from the point, the cross of the Legion of Honor, the one of War 1914-1918 and the Medal of Resistance, all in their color.

The blazon proper of Lyon consists of a field of gules (red color), in which a lion appears rampant (of profile and erect) and silver (white color). The shield itself is augmented by a heraldic chief, the division occupying the upper third. This is the "Head of France", which shows the heraldry of his former monarchs: of azure laden with three golden fleurs-de-lys (a blue background adorned with three yellow lily flowers).^[1]

In the crest, a French mural crown of gold is shown. The mural crown, of Roman origin, is often used by municipal corporations as an emblem of their power and authority. Surrounding the arms is a crown formed by two branches of mulberry or oak. A decree, dated 26 November 1946, established that it would adorn the coat of arms with the decorations granted to Lyon: the Cross of the Legion of Honour, the French Cross of War 1914-1918 and the Resistance Medal.^[2]

The shield of the city was granted in 1320, when Lyon was included the list of «Bonnes Villes» of the king of France. The armories with the silver lion in a field of gules, which used the ancient counts of Lyon, were augmented with the old "Head of France" (strewn with gold fleurs-de-lis).^[3] In 1376, King Charles V of France simplified its shield by reducing the number of fleurs de lis to three. This change was introduced in the heraldic chiefs of all the "Bonnes Villes". The current design was adopted in 1859.