About this place
Rising to sixty six metres beside the cathedral, the Tour Pey-Berland is Bordeaux's great free standing bell tower. It was built between 1440 and 1500 at the wish of Archbishop Pey Berland, whose name it still carries. Because Bordeaux rests on soft, sandy ground laced with hidden streams, the city feared that the vibration of heavy bells would weaken the cathedral, so the belfry was deliberately set apart from the church. For centuries it stood without its bells and was even used for other purposes, until the nineteenth century finally gave it the voice it was built for. In 1863 a gilded statue of Our Lady of Aquitaine was placed on its spire, watching over the city ever since. Visitors willing to climb the two hundred and thirty three steps are rewarded with a breathtaking panorama across the rooftops and the Garonne.
Key facts
- 66 metres — Height of the free standing tower, crowned by Our Lady of Aquitaine
- 1440 year — Construction began under Archbishop Pey Berland
- 1863 year — The gilded statue of Our Lady of Aquitaine was placed on the spire
📍 Place Pey Berland, 33000, Bordeaux