The "palais du commerce"
The "palais du commerce" ("Trade palace"), also called the "palais de la Bourse" (Stock exchange palace), was erected by René Dardel. Built between 1856 and 1862, it has been inaugurated by the emperor Napoleon III in 1860 (You may notice the imperial bees that are represented in many places).
Railways allegory
The building was inspired by the Louis XIII style but has been covered by dozens of statues (many of them created by Guillaume Bonnet), that represent the Saône river, the Rhône river, the Trade, the other european stock exchange places...
This building has been renovated in 2003.
