Whether you’re from Bordeaux or a tourist, you’ve all passed through the Place des Quinconces at some point . It’s a key Bordeaux landmark, thanks to its unique location in the heart of the city center. Indeed, it’s a favorite meeting place for locals. But chances are you don’t know everything about the square you pass every day! We’ll tell you just a few!
Originally a fortress
Did you know that? Long before the present-day Place des Quinconces, an ancient fortress called Château Trompette stood on the Esplanade des Quinconces! The château was built by the king to assert his power, as Bordeaux awoke from 300 years of English influence…
The largest square in France
It’s no mean feat! With its 12-hectare surface area, the Place des Quinconces is quite simply the largest square in France, and one of the largest in Europe! Its unique size enables it to host large-scale events, from the Foire d’Automne to occasional circuses.
Why Quinconces?
It’s quite simple: have you ever noticed the layout of the trees planted on the square? They’re staggered, and have been since 1818! The development of the square took 10 years, until 1828! The name of the square was only really chosen and made official after the Revolution of 1848, the square having previously been named “Place Louis XVI”, then “Place Louis-Philippe”.
Bartholdi’s Fountain
The idea of a monument to adorn the Place des Quinconces soon arose, and it was originally a simple fountain, commissioned from the French sculptor Bartholdi. Completed in 1888, the city of Bordeaux found the price too high, and the city of Lyon acquired it to adorn its Place des Terreaux. The city of Bordeaux subsequently decided to combine its two ideas – for a monument to the Girondins and for a fountain – to create the monument we know today.
A bunker under the square
Bordeaux’s position (close to the Atlantic Ocean) and its port made it an ideal location for the German occupiers during the Second World War. In 1943, fortified air-raid shelters and blockhouses were built. Close to the quays, the Place des Quinconces was targeted, and a bunker was built under its grounds. It measured 83 square meters and had a ceiling height of 2.30 meters!