Culture of Bordeaux. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» Cathedrale Saint-Andre was reconstructed many times. According to the chronicles, there had been buildings built in the 3rd century at the site.
»  This construction was first mentioned in chronicles in 814. The Normans destroyed it.
»  At the beginning of the 11th century, the first stone was laid in the cathedral's foundation in commemoration of the marriage of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
»  In 1130, the northern Porte Royale entrance was added. Sculptures on it depict the Last Judgment.
»  There are 81-meter towers adjacent to Saint-Andrе. If you go up the 233 steps of the 66-meter Pey Berland Bell Tower, you can admire the view of the old town. At its top, there is the statue of the Virgin of Aquitaine and the bell that weighs 8 tons.
»  In the main building, you can see religious artifacts dating back to the Middle Ages. There are also tombs of Bordeaux archbishops.
»  During the Revolution, pipes of the first organ (1535) were melted down and metal was used for weapons. The organ was transferred from the other cathedral. After the reconstruction, it has a diameter of 15 m.
»  The outer facade is decorated with a lot of prolonged arches. They are made of stone and decorated with carving. Above the entrance, there is the ornament of the blossoming flower.

Location on the map:   Facts: » In the basilica, services visited by worshipers living outside the city. Industrialists donated to its construction.
»  It started to be built in the 14th century. The construction lasted over 2 centuries. The bell tower is 114 m high.
»  When it was reconstructed in 1791, 70 graves were found in the basement of the basilica. The bodies were well preserved in the clay soil. Mummies were deposited in the crypt of the cathedral. In 1990, the remains were buried at the city cemetery.
»  Its exterior is decorated with multiple prolonged stone arches. You can see openwork patterns on them. Above the entrance, there is a decorative element in the form of the outlet with floral ornaments.
»  The inner space is divided into 17 sectors. Each one is dedicated to particular craftsmen. Here, you can see old items and canvasses telling about past epochs. In one of the rooms, you can see the wooden altar of the 17th century. In the anglers’ sector, there is the statue of St. Catherin, the patroness of sailors.
»  The central room is 75 m long, 38 m wide, and 23 m high. The hallway leads to the open gallery with an organ in it.
»  22 bells proclaim the beginning of the service.

» The Benedictine Abbey possessed several church lands. It was first mentioned in the 7th century, after the death of St. Mommolen, the second abbot of the church. Eglise Sainte-Croix started to be built in the 11th century.
»  In the building, there is a spacious room that is 39 m high. The frame of the altar represents the worship of the Mother of God (there are engraved figurines on it). You can also see here two paintings of the French artist of the 17th century.
»  The organ was bought in 1750. In the late 20th century, it needed to be reconstructed. A new organ was placed in the old body instead. The acoustics of the church lets organize classical organ concerts.
»  During the Great Revolution, the building served as a hospital. 100 years later, it belonged to the Fine Art School.
»  In the 19th century, a new bell tower was built for the symmetry. There is one main and several additional ledges.
»  The building is built of light sandstone blocks. Its facade in the Roman style depicts figures symbolizing insatiability and lust.
»  Sainte-Croix is translated as Saint Cross Church.

» There was the Apostle Peter’s Sanctuary at the site of the modern cathedral. It was mentioned in the chronicles of the 6th century.
»  In the 12th century, the chapel was built here. There are preserved medieval gravestones found at the church cemetery. Nowadays, they are transferred to the museum for storage. It turns out that the English nationals were buried here when the region was a part of England.
»  The western wall with Gothic windows has been preserved.
»  The building you can see today was built in the 14th-15th centuries. There are a preserved altar and the sculpture of the 17th century. It represents the Mother of God mourning Jesus (the Virgin Mary with dead Christ on her knees).
»  One of the canvasses (1664) is situated in the niche to the left of the bell tower. The painting depicts St. Peter taking the keys of the gate of heaven.
»  Other interior elements date back to the 19th century.
»  Stained glass windows are very interesting. On the glass, you can see scenes from Apostle Peter’s life. He patronizes the cathedral.
»  The city cathedral has been the historic monument of the French cultural heritage.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The stadium is a place for trainings of the local football team.
»  It was named after the state official Jacques Chaban-Delmas in 2001. He had ruled the city for many years. He was also famous as an excellent tennis player and rugby player.
»  The sports complex includes an amazing racing circuit.
»  In 1938, the international football championship was held here.
»  This sports ground was the first stadium where stands with the covering but without pillars have been constructed. They were abandoned during the construction not to distract people from the game, as pillars partially obstructed the spectators’ view of the field.
»  The reconstruction of the stadium’s dome caused additional difficulties too. It was decided to install additional seats on the cycling track in the open air.
»  To attract more fans to rugby world competitions, two big 37 m2 displays were bought in 2007.
»  Sportsmen’s changing rooms are linked with the field by the 120-meter tunnel.
»  The building of the sports arena is a historical construction.
»  About 35 000 fans can watch the game at the same time.