Commissioning of the station 1855 (≈ 1855)
The tank feeds locomotives and firefighters.
1854-1857
Construction of the water tower
Construction of the water tower 1854-1857 (≈ 1856)
Built by the Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi.
1994
Decommissioning of the site
Decommissioning of the site 1994 (≈ 1994)
End of industrial railway activity.
12 juillet 2018
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 12 juillet 2018 (≈ 2018)
Total protection of the tank and its structure.
2022
Integration into the district of Citernes
Integration into the district of Citernes 2022 (≈ 2022)
Restoration as a central element of the urban project.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The old water castle of the Saint-Jean station in its entirety, located on Parcel No.80, in accordance with the annexed plan, located 3 rue Amédée Saint-Germain, appearing in the cadastre section BZ: inscription by order of 12 July 2018.
Key figures
Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi - Manufacturer and operator
Built and managed the water castle.
Origin and history
The Château d'eau de la Gare Saint-Jean de Bordeaux, built between 1854 and 1857 by the Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi, was designed to supply water to locomotives and firefighters. Located near a maintenance rotunda, it consists of four stone arches topped with metal tanks of 100 m3 each. Its architecture, evoking an ancient viaduct, is 15 meters high for 18 meters long.
Disused in 1994 with the closure of the industrial site, the monument was almost destroyed in 2010 during the Euratlantic project. Saved thanks to a heritage mobilization, it was registered with the Historic Monuments on July 12, 2018. It then became the heart of the new district of Citernes, with a restoration planned for 2022, integrating its structure as a central decorative element.
The four tanks, accessible by narrow stairs and metal bars, were connected to a valve and counterweight system. By 2020, although overgrown by vegetation, the stone structure and bellows remained solid. The site, formerly frequented by 1,750 workers specializing in the repair of steam locomotives, symbolizes the age of Bordeaux railway gold.
The official address of the monument, 54 rue Amédée Saint-Germain, has been fully protected since 2018. In August 2024, restoration work was still underway to enhance this unique testimony of 19th-century industry in New Aquitaine.
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