It was Celtic tribes who first established Bordeaux, but it wasn't until about 200 years later, under the rule of the Romans, that the town started to blossom. Back then it was called Burdigala; today the only remains of Burdigala are the crumbling ruins of this 3rd-century amphitheatre.
Getty Images/Photon RM
Palais Gallien
Bordeaux
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.93 MILES
The complex world of wine is explored in depth at ground-breaking La Cité du Vin, a stunning piece of contemporary architecture resembling a wine decanter…
0.83 MILES
A fountain of sorts, the Miroir d'Eau is the world's largest reflecting pool. Covering an area of 3450 sq metres of black granite on the quayside opposite…
0.74 MILES
The Cathédrale St-André, a Unesco World Heritage Site prior to the city's classification, lords it over the city. The cathedral's oldest section dates…
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1.93 MILES
By far the city's eeriest and most menacing sight, this mammoth hulk of a submarine base (1941–43) was one of five built on the Atlantic Coast by the…
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1.29 MILES
This imposing Flamboyant Gothic church lies at the heart of St-Michel. Begun in the 14th century, it took more than 200 years to complete and is best…
0.79 MILES
This is Bordeaux's most iconic square. A mirage of elegance and symmetry, it was laid out by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel between 1730 and 1775 and…
0.95 MILES
The main entrance into medieval Bordeaux, this grandiose 15th-century city gate was built to celebrate King Charles VII's victory at the Battle of Fornovo…
0.93 MILES
Gallo-Roman statues and relics dating back 25,000 years are among the highlights at this bright and spacious, well-curated history and civilisations…
Nearby Bordeaux attractions
1. Musée Bordeaux – Sciences et Nature
0.22 MILES
With more than one million different specimens on show, Bordeaux's former Natural History Museum is among France's most impressive. Closed at the time of…
0.25 MILES
Landscaping is artistic as well as informative at the Jardin Public. Established in 1755 and laid out in the English style a century later, the grounds…
0.34 MILES
It was around this vast Romanesque complex that the quartier of Saint-Seurin grew in the 11th century. As early as the 5th century, a church dedicated to…
4. Site Archéologique de St-Seurin
0.38 MILES
Not to be confused with the small crypt inside Basilique St-Seurin, this archaeological site was uncovered in 1910 when archaeologists excavated part of…
0.43 MILES
In a city increasingly known for its street art, it was inevitable that a gallery dedicated solely to street art would open. Enter Cox Gallery, with a…
0.45 MILES
This imposing fountain on vast square and public-transport hub Esplanade des Quinconces is a riot of horses. It was created between 1894 and 1902 in…
7. Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez
0.47 MILES
Glittering glass chandeliers, parquet flooring, original moulded ceilings and pretty peppermint-green painted wood-panelling create a wonderfully romantic…
0.49 MILES
The old street plaques – place Dauphiné and place Nationale – remain firmly on the wall of one building as a reminder of this tree-shaded square's…