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About Bordeaux |
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Elegant Bordeaux
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| Bordeaux is undoubtedly most famous worldwide for its superb wines. It is the capital of the region known as Aquitaine and is a major cultural centre and a transportation hub between southern France and Spain. | ||
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The elegant city is rich in history, culture, arts, music, legendary wines and gastronomy. It is not only the fine wines capital of the world but also a vibrant centre of trade, industry, services and business.
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The city centre is known for its neoclassic architecture and wide avenues, which over recent years have undergone a major investment programme to include cleaning up the building facades and renovate the quayside, to make a fashionable restaurant and bar district. A state of the art tram system is now operating in the city, which has reduced traffic congestion and left the city centre pedestrianised and easy to navigate.
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Bordeaux is a fantastic showcase for Romanesque, gothic and Renaissance art displayed in museums, churches, forts, galleries, mansions, gardens and public walkways and buildings.
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A selection of things to see and places to go are as follows:
Musée d'Aquitaine
An outstanding museum with over 25,000 years of history end ethnography. Exceptional artefacts include several prehistoric stone carvings of women and a collection of Gallo-Roman steles, statues and ceramics. Musée des Beaux-Arts
Bordeaux's fine art museum, is located in two wings of the 1770's Hotel de Ville (2 minutes walk from the Apartment). It includes 17th century Flemish, Dutch and Italian paintings and 20th century works by Matisse, Picasso and others. Just around the block is the Galerie des Beaux-Arts, which hosts short-term exhibitions (check the Bordeaux Tourist information official website for up to date information). CAPC Musée d'Art Contemporain
Housed in what was the main Colonial Foodstuffs Warehouse in the 19th century, this museum features more than 600 works by more than 100 artists. It includes French paintings from the 1970's, paintings from the 1980's and a selection of works by contemporary artists. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle
The natural history museum is located near the Jardin Public. This museum was founded at the time of the French Revolution. There is a huge collection of animal and plant specimens, particularly on the regions famous palaeontology. Notre-Dame Church
The very pinnacle of Baroque art in Bordeaux, the church has a brilliant décor of exceptional quality: wrought-iron work, a superb organ case, a pulpit carved in red marble and 18th. century paintings. Place de la Bourse
Open to the river, dedicated to Louis XV, the square remains one of the purest "classics" of 18th century style. An equestrian statue of Louis XV used to stand in the middle. It was destroyed during the revolution and later replaced by the Fountain of the Three Graces (Queen Victoria, the Empress Eugénie and the Queen of Spain). This was the first monumental ensemble to be illuminated in the city's 'Plan Lumière'. |
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Pey-Berland Tower Bordeaux
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*Saint-André Cathedral and the Pey-Berland Tower
Located just 100m from the apartment. The 15th century Pey-Berland tower dominates the ensemble of Saint-André Cathedral, parts of which date back to the 11th. century. With its Royal Portal, inspired by the examples of Amiens and Reims, it is one of the most interesting monumental buildings in Southwest France. Sainte-Marie de la Bastide Church
Built by Paul Abadie in 1865, Sainte-Marie de la Bastide church's bulbous bell tower dominates its benevolent mass on the right bank of the Garonne, just like Sacré-Coeur in Paris, built by the same architect. |
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Basilica St. Michel Bordeaux
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*Saint-Michel Basilica and Steeple
Work on Saint-Michel church began in the 14th century and it is still a fine example of flamboyant art. Its isolated bell tower is the second highest in France (114m). The Girondins Monument
This commemorative ensemble of column and fountain was built between 1894 and 1902 and honours the Girondins of the Revolution and the Republic. Three female figures symbolise Bordeaux, the Garonne and the Dordogne. |
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Girondins Monument Bordeaux
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The Grand Théâtre
Built from 1773 to 1780 by architect Victor Louis, The Grand Théâtre, a master-piece of neo-classical architecture stands on the site of a Gallo-Roman monument, the Piliers de Tutelle temple, which was destroyed in 1674. Restored to its original décor, the auditorium is admired as one of the finest in the world. The stairwell is grandiose and the stairs are decorated in the antique style featuring a caryatid theme. The Jardin Public
Representing 10 hectares of public gardens in the city centre, The Jardin Public was created by Tourny, Royal Intendant, in 1746. It was designed to link the city with Faubourg Saint-Seurin and Chartrons. In 1856, the garden was re-developed in the "English" style by landscape architects Fisher and Escarpit. The Botanical Gardens have been present here since 1855, and feature a collection of around 3,000 different species of living plants. The Sainte-Croix Abbey Church
Its Romanesque frontage is designed and decorated in a style that is reminiscent of the buildings of Saintonge and Angoumois (ancient provinces in the west of France). * The Saint-Seurin Basilica and its Crypt
Ever since the 6th century, the Saint-Seurin collegial has stood on the site of an old Gallo-Roman necropolis, which was later used by the Christians. Apart from the marble vats dating from the Merovingian period, especially those conserved in the crypt, the building still has the Episcopal pulpit, tombs, alabaster and retables. * Unesco world heritage listed monuments.
For further tourist information regarding Bordeaux, follow this link to the official tourist information site: www.bordeaux-tourisme.com |
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Jane Fraser-Bryan
info@bordeauxapartment.com Tel/Fax: 00 33 (0)556 61 89 22 Mobile: 00 33 (0)687 41 17 54 |
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Copyright © 2008. Jane Fraser-Bryan. All rights reserved.
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