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Origin and history

The house located at 40 Gambetta square in Bordeaux is part of a major architectural complex of the city, designed in the eighteenth century. Place Gambetta, formerly Place Dauphine, was built from 1745 on the initiative of the intendant of Tourny, as part of a project to clean up and embellish Bordeaux. The buildings, built according to a classical ordinance, were built between 1750 and 1780, with uniform facades composed of a ground floor with arcades, a noble floor, an attic and an attic.

In 1750, the Jurats of Bordeaux contracted a loan to finance the construction of the facades, originally planned with forebodies and balustrades. However, in 1762, a new architect proposed a simplified plan, removing these elements to adopt a sober entanglement and a climax. The square, rectangular in shape, became a strategic crossroads where the main routes of the city converged, reflecting the architectural style of the first half of the eighteenth century despite its late completion.

The facades, made of cut stone, are characterized by regular arcades on the ground floor, surmounted by a small windowed basement. The first floor, decorated with windows crowned with carved mascarons and wrought iron balconies, illustrates the refinement of the era. Some houses have a second floor, adding to diversity while maintaining overall harmony. The façade and roof of this building were classified as Historic Monument by decree of 15 November 1927.

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