Port City of Bordeaux

The Port of the Moon, port city of Bordeaux in south-west France, is inscribed as an inhabited historic city, an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the age of the Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Lands. Urban plans and architectural ensembles of the early 18th century onwards place the city as an outstanding example of innovative classical and neoclassical trends and give it an exceptional urban and architectural unity and coherence. Its urban form represents the success of philosophers who wanted to make towns into melting pots of humanism, universality and culture.

The Port de la Lune (Port of the Moon) is the name given to the harbour of Bordeaux, dating to the Middle Ages, because of the shape of the river crossing the city. The appellation Bordeaux, Port de la Lune designates, since 2007, the 1,800 ha of the city of Bordeaux listed as UNESCO World Heritage, due to the exceptional urban and architectural unity and coherence.

References:

• UNESCO

Address

Place de Tourny 2, Bordeaux, France

Details

Founded: 18th century
Category: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in France