History
article | Reading time5 min
Discover the Pey-Berland tower, a bell tower separate from the cathedral, in the heart of Bordeaux.
One tower, a thousand lives
Built in 1440 in the flamboyant gothic style, the Pey-Berland tower, the cathedral's bell tower, would wait centuries for its bells to be installed ! In the Middle Ages, Bordeaux and the Duchy of Aquitaine were united with the English crown and, in 1453, the Battle of Castillon marked the end of the Hundred Years' War with an English defeat : for the Kingdom of France, the bells could wait. They wouldn't arrive until the 19th century!
In the meantime, the Pey-Berland tower has lived a thousand lives : fodder depot and shop, lead shot factory, accommodation (central studios, with a view, etc.). Pey Berland (1375-1458), the archbishop of Bordeaux who commissioned the tower's construction, probably didn't foresee this happening. Nor did the hurricane that toppled the original spire in 1667, but it did clear the way for Notre-Dame d'Aquitaine to take up residence at the top two centuries later!
Notre-Dame is not the only resident of the tower. She lives side by side with creatures that are sometimes more worrying... Gargoyles or chimeras ? The sculptures in the tower, beyond its lacy stonework, range from those that serve as gutters, gargoyles that spit out rainwater, to decorative and mysterious chimeras. Keep your eyes peeled!
P. Muller - Centre des monuments nationaux
A landmark in the Bordeaux skyline
Pey-Berland Tower is the bell tower of Bordeaux's Saint-André Cathedral. Right in the heart of the city, this
overlooks the cathedral. From its two terraces, located at 40 metres and 50 metres, the Pey-Berland tower offers an exceptional view of the capital of Gironde. A gilded Virgin and Child, Notre-Dame d'Aquitaine, has watched over the city since 1863. It rises to a height of 66 metres.
A jewel of flamboyant Gothic architecture, the Pey-Berland tower is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on two counts : as part of the exceptional "Bordeaux, Port of the Moon" urban ensemble and, through the cathedral, as part of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in France.
A. Lonchampt - Centre des monuments nationaux
A man, a tower, a bell tower
Pey (Pierre in langue d'oc) Berland (1375-1458) is the archbishop of Bordeaux who initiated the construction of the bell tower from 1440, in an Aquitaine united to the crown of England. The tower was separated from the cathedral because the weight of the bells was a threat to the stability of Saint-André (sand, marshes and rivers dominate Bordeaux's subsoil).
The English defeat at the end of the Hundred Years' War (1453) delayed the installation of the bells, which did not arrive until the 19th century. The tower has two superimposed bell chambers for 4 bells. Ferdinand-André, the drone, weighs over 8 tonnes, more than the "Grosse Cloche" in Bordeaux. It sits alongside Marie, Clémence and Marguerite, which are still in use.
J-L Paillé - Centre des monuments nationaux
A central place in the city, past and present
Over the centuries, the main institutions have positioned themselves around the Place Pey-Berland: religious power (the cathedral hosted two royal weddings: in 1137, between Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII, then in 1615, between Louis XIII and the Infanta Anne of Austria), political power (the town hall, in the Palais Rohan), knowledge (the University, founded by Pey-Berland) then law (Ecole nationale de la magistrature, Tribunal de grande instance), art (municipal museums), shops and restaurants, etc. The tower is located right in the centre of Bordeaux, at the junction of two tram lines (Hôtel de Ville stop).
P. Muller - Centre des monuments nationaux
The most beautiful view of Bordeaux
Today, Pey-Berland Tower offers you the most beautiful panoramic view of Bordeaux. But you have to earn it! That's right, the ascent of more than 230 steps takes you up the spiral staircase dating back to the Middle Ages. The climb is quite strenuous, and the narrowness of the staircase restricts access to the terraces to a limited number of visitors for the best possible experience.
Open all year round, the tower is accessible without further ado, but with atime-stamped e-ticket to be booked in advance on the Internet.
A. Lonchampt - Centre des monuments nationaux