Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The idea of a royal square and a uniform facade along the Garonne gradually emerged. In 1746, intendant Claude Boucher obtained the agreement of the jurats to create a first dock. In 1729 the architect Jacques Gabriel proposed three projects, including that of the Quai de la Douane, built in 1731 with its facades bordering the river. This work marked the beginning of a homogeneous architectural ordinance, combining ground floor with arcades, two square floors and a Mansard attic.

When Boucher died, Intendant Tourny launched the project with Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques Gabriel. In 1748, under the impulse of Aubert de Tourny, the monumental perspective was completed, extending the Place Royale (future place de la Bourse) towards the Garonne. The facades, although partially altered (disappearance of wrought iron balconies), retain their original character thanks to their frames, larmis and carved motifs. The arcades on the ground floor, sometimes modified by shops, bear witness to the urban ambition of the eighteenth century.

The building at 27 quai Richelieu illustrates this architectural unit. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1951 for its facade and roof, it embodies the legacy of Gabriel's father and son projects, as well as the urban vision of the intendants Boucher and Tourny. The splits and sculpted keys of the arcades highlight the attention to detail, while the stone windows animate the summit. Private property, it perpetuates the prestige of the Bordeaux docks, symbol of the century of Enlightenment in Aquitaine.

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