Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces
MonumentHidden Treasure
Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces, located in Bordeaux (Gironde), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8458, -0.5712
- Mérimée Reference
- PA33000075
Sentinels of stone standing tall before the Garonne, the two rostral columns of the esplanade des Quinconces tower over Bordeaux at 21 metres, crowned with allegories of Commerce and Navigation.
History
At the end of the immense Quinconces esplanade - one of the largest squares in Europe - two rostral columns stand like stone beacons facing the river, solemnly marking the boundary between the city and the Garonne. Erected in 1828, they are one of the finest examples of monumental urban furniture from the Restoration period in France, at the crossroads of maritime, commercial and republican symbolism. What makes these columns truly unique is the richness of their sculptural programme. Each shaft is adorned with the prows of ancient galleys, from which spring rostrums - thick bronze spikes inherited from Roman naval battles - extended by clusters of three crossed swords. Higher up, reliefs celebrate anchors, ropes, caducei and bundles of goods: the vocabulary of a city whose prosperity has always been based on maritime trade. Visitors who look up to the top will discover two majestically curved allegorical statues: Commerce and Navigation, originally cast in terracotta but now replaced by faithful cast-iron copies. They overlook small aediculae topped with domes, crowning the capitals of each column with neoclassical elegance. The visit is best viewed as part of a wider itinerary: from the esplanade, the columns can be appreciated in dialogue with the monument to the Girondins and the water mirror, forming a grandiose perspective that photographers are particularly fond of in the golden evening light. Here, Bordeaux displays all its splendour as a port city elevated to the rank of capital of wine and Atlantic trade.
Architecture
The two rostral columns are part of the neoclassical movement of the Restoration, which drew heavily on the repertoire of Greco-Roman antiquity while adapting it to the demands of 19th-century urban décor. Each column rises to a height of 21 metres, a proportion that gives them an imposing presence without overwhelming the immensity of the esplanade. The smooth shaft is interrupted by a powerful reinforcement at mid-height, from which emerge the stylized prows of the galleys, decorated with rostrums - thick metal spikes inherited from Roman naval combat spurs - extended by clusters of three crossed swords, symbols of both war and sea. The ornamental programme unfolds in superimposed registers: above the prows, medallions in relief alternate between the attributes of Commerce (caduceus, bundles, gold coins) and Navigation (anchors, ropes, compasses), forming a veritable stone catalogue of Bordeaux's port economy. The capital, a simplified composite, supports a circular aedicule topped by a ribbed dome, which acts as a pedestal for the allegorical statue at the top. These statues - Commerce holding its cornucopia and Navigation its rudder - are on a heroic scale, visible from the esplanade. Initially made in terracotta, then replaced by cast-iron copies, they bear witness to the technical and economic constraints faced by those who commissioned them at the time.
Related Figures
Alexandre Poitevin — architecte bordelais, concepteur des colonnes en 1828Bonino — ornemaniste, auteur du décor sculpté en relief (proues, rostres, médaillons)Monsau — sculpteur, auteur des statues allégoriques du Commerce et de la NavigationLouis XVI — dont le règne vit l'apogée du commerce atlantique bordelais qui justifie le monumentLes Girondins — groupe politique révolutionnaire bordelais dont la mémoire hante l'esplanade voisine
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces located?
Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces is located in Bordeaux, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces built?
Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces open to visitors?
Colonnes rostrales élevées sur l'esplanade des Quinconces is currently closed to visitors.