a large, rich, handsome, ancient, and famous town of France, being the most considerable in the kingdom, next to Paris, with an archbishop's see, an academy of sciences and belles lettres, and an academy of arts and sciences settled here in 1736. It is seated in the centre of Europe, on the confluence of the the rivers Rhone and Saone: on the side of it are two high mountains; and the mountain of St Sebastian serves as a bulwark against the north winds, which often blow here with great violence. It contains about 150,000 inhabitants; and the houses, in general, are high and well built. It has six gates, and as many suburbs. The town-house, the arsenal, the amphitheatre built by the ancient Romans, the hospital, and the numerous palaces, are worthy of a traveller's attention. The cathedral is a superb structure, and the canons that compose the chapter are all persons of distinction. It is a place of very great trade, which is extended through Europe. It derives vast advantages from the rivers near it; and is situated in E. Long. 4° 55'. N. Lat. 45° 40'. Lyons was the scene of some of the horrid transactions of the French revolution. See France.