House à Bordeaux en Gironde

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house located Place Gambetta (former Dauphine Square) in Bordeaux is part of a major 18th century urban project. Around 1745, the intendant of Tourny launched the development of this square on lands west of the Dauphine and Dijeaux Gates, as part of a policy of sanitation and beautification of the city. This project aimed to create a harmonious space, framed by buildings with uniform facades, reflecting the classical principles of the era.

In 1750, the Jurats of Bordeaux made a loan to finance the construction of the facades, designed with a ground floor with arcades, a noble floor, an attic and an attic. In 1762, the architect proposed a simplified plan, removing the initial forebody and balustrades to adopt a sober entanglement and a discreet height. Although the square was only completed between 1770 and 1780, its style remains characteristic of the first half of the eighteenth century, with elements such as carved mascarons and wrought iron balconies.

The façade and roof of this house, located at 20 Gambetta Square, were protected by a registration order under the Historic Monuments on 15 November 1927. This architectural ensemble illustrates the Bordeaux town planning of the Enlightenment, where the uniformity of the stone facades and the regularity of the arcades symbolized both the prestige of the city and its economic dynamism. Place Gambetta, with its two main arteries, became a strategic crossroads, connecting the major axes of Bordeaux.

Today, this house bears witness to the architectural heritage of the Enlightenment in Bordeaux, during which time the city, then flourishing port, modernized under the impulse of stewards like Tourny. Its ranking reflects the heritage importance of this ensemble, representative of the urban and aesthetic ambitions of the time.

External links