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Origin and history

The house located Place Gambetta (former Dauphine Square) in Bordeaux is part of an 18th century major urban complex, designed after the Place de la Bourse. This space was built around 1745 under the leadership of the intendant of Tourny, as part of a project to clean up and embellish the city. The chosen land was west of the Dauphine and Dijeaux gates, and the Bordeaux Jurats contracted a loan in 1750 to finance the construction of the uniform facades of the houses surrounding the square.

The buildings, built according to a classic ordinance, have a ground floor with arcades, a noble floor with window doors decorated with mascarons and wrought iron balconies, as well as an attic and a top. In 1762, the architect proposed a simplified plan, removing the initial forebody and balustrades to adopt a sober entablement. Although the square was only completed between 1770 and 1780, its style reflected that of the first half of the eighteenth century. The façade and roof of this house, 15 Gambetta Square, were protected by a registration order in 1927.

Gambetta Square, rectangular, is a strategic crossroads where the main routes of Bordeaux converge. The stone-cut facades, with their bossed arcades and aligned windows, illustrate the architectural harmony sought by the authorities of the time. Some buildings have a second floor, adding a slight variation to the initial uniformity. This monument bears witness to the ambitious urban planning of the Enlightenment in Bordeaux, marked by a desire to modernize and embellish public spaces.

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