Photo : Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Porte Cailhau
Built between 1493 and 1496 facing the Garonne, the Porte Cailhau was the main entrance to Bordeaux from the port and led to the Palais de l'Ombrière, residence of the dukes of Guyenne and later seat of the Parliament. Both a defensive gate and a triumphal arch, it was dedicated to King Charles VIII after his victory at Fornovo in 1495; a copy of his statue still stands in a niche on the façade.
With its pointed roofs, machicolations and dormers, it combines military architecture with Flamboyant Gothic decoration. Its name may come from the nearby quay, the first to be paved with pebbles, or from the powerful Cailhau family. Listed as a historic monument since 1883, it can be visited inside and offers from the top a fine view over the quays and the Pont de Pierre.
