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Origin and history

The Pey-Berland Tower, built between 1440 and 1500 in Bordeaux, is the independent campanile of Saint-André Cathedral. Commanded by Archbishop Pey Berland, it was designed to prevent the vibrations of the bells from damaging the cathedral, built on marshy ground. Its irregular base, mentioned in a Latin inscription, contrasts with its imposing height of 61 meters, also symbolizing the reach of a nearby fountain. Sold as a national good during the Revolution, it served briefly as a workshop for the manufacture of hunting leads before being restored as a religious building in 1851.

The original arrow, destroyed by a storm in the 17th century, was replaced in 1863 by a golden statue of Notre-Dame d'Aquitaine, the work of Jean-Alexandre Chertier. This Childish Virgin, six metres high, overlooks a terrace accessible after 233 steps. The tower, classified as a historic monument since 1862 and integrated with the roads of Santiago de Compostela (UNESCO heritage), houses an eight-ton bumblebee. Its insulation, typical in Gironde, is explained by geological and acoustic constraints, although it was once connected to the cathedral by canon houses.

The Latin inscription engraved on its north face, dated 1440, celebrates its foundation by Pey Berland and describes its height by comparing it to a nearby fountain. Written in medieval hexameters, she uses abbreviations and a rare vocabulary (disquadram), perhaps evoking the irregularity of her base. The tower, managed today by the National Monuments Centre, embodies both a Gothic architectural masterpiece and a religious symbol, marked by its statue facing Avensan, the archbishop's native village.

Its structure, square at the base (8 meters side) and octagonal at the top, consists of four levels: a blind ground floor, decorative arches, a chamber of bells with flamboyant bays, and a covered terrace with an openwork guardrail. The corner foothills and bow-buttons reinforce the building, while a screw staircase serves the floors. After restorations in 2002, the tower remains a major testimony of Bordeaux religious architecture, mixing medieval history, political revolutions and living heritage.

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