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Origin and history

The house located 22 Place Gambetta in Bordeaux is part of a major architectural complex of the eighteenth century, designed as part of the urban beautification led by the intendant of Tourny. Around 1745, the latter ordered the creation of a square (former Dauphine Square, now Gambetta Square) on lands west of Dauphine and Dijeaux Gates, marking a desire to remediate and modernize the city. In 1750 the Jurats contracted a loan to finance the uniform facades of the houses, structured on the ground floor with arcades, a noble floor, an attic and an attic.

In 1762, a new architect proposed to Intendant Boutin a simplified plan for the facades, removing the initial forebody and balustrades for the benefit of a devoidly sober and attic. The square was only completed between 1770 and 1780, although its style reflected that of the first half of the century. The buildings, made of cut stone, feature bossed arcades, window doors decorated with mascarons and wrought iron balconies on the first floor, illustrating the classical harmony sought.

The façade and roof of this house, which has been protected since 1927, embody the legacy of the 18th century Bordeaux urban transformations. Gambetta Square, with its two main arteries at its angles, became a strategic crossroads, symbolizing the strict ordinance imposed by the authorities of the time. The buildings, although mostly on one floor, include some exceptions with a second level, showing minor variations in this strict architectural setting.

The inscription in the title of the Historical Monuments in 1927 underlines the heritage value of this ensemble, representative of the aesthetic and hygienist ambitions of the Enlightenment in Bordeaux. The exact location (22 Gambetta square) and its Insee code (33063) confirm its anchoring in the girondin urban landscape, now integrated into the New Aquitaine region.

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