Place de la Bourse

Since ancient times, humans all over the world have associated the city of Bordeaux with Place de la Bourse, which also significantly impacted the city's economy, trade, and reputation. This highly lovely square is a favorite of residents of Bordelais as well as guests visiting the region. Place de la Bourse is a component of the Port of the Moon, which has been identified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO every year since 2007.

Building what is now considered to be the very symbol of the city required a lot of hard labor and took twenty years to complete in the 18th century. The square marks the beginning of a new era for medieval Bordeaux, which had been encircled by walls for ages. This highlights the fact that the city was finally allowed to expand its boundaries!

In the past, railings stood between Place de la Bourse and the river. However, these railings were taken down during the time of the French Revolution. After a limited period of time, the equestrian statue of the king was succeeded by a statue of Napoleon. In 1869, the Fountain of Three Graces was installed in its place. Since that time, the latter has gained a lot of popularity and is frequently the subject of tourist photographs from all over the world.

How to explore Place de la Bourse?

• A massive series of identical buildings that combine to produce a continuous and balanced building curtain may be seen along the margin of the Garonne River, where the Place de la Bourse is located.
• This square was opened in Bordeaux onto the river in order to project an image that is both friendly and prestigious to visitors coming from various towns and countries.
• The neoclassical architecture of the square incorporates Greco-Roman design elements. This design was inspired by the excavation of the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
• The Three Graces fountain was built in the middle of the square in 1869 and has been there ever since. The three daughters of Zeus that it depicts are Aglae (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (Good Cheer).
• On the facade mascarons of these buildings, you can see Neptune opening the city's commerce, Mercury favoring this commerce, Minerva protecting the arts, the allegory of Time discovering the Truth, the Garonne-Dordogne junction, and the faces of African women, which is a reference to the slave trade that brought wealth to Bordeaux.
• The four-sided clock features paintings and tapestries that were woven in the Gobelin workshop as its decoration.
• The beauty of Place de la Bourse is converted into something out of a dream when it is reflected in 'le Miroir D'eau,' which is French for the reflecting pool. This is the world's largest reflecting pool that consists of a group of granite slabs measuring 130 meters in length and 42 meters in width.
• Have a good time at the skatepark, which is one of the most spectacular features of the recently completed reconstruction of the quayside in Bordeaux.