Place des Quinconces

The Place des Quinconces, located in Bordeaux, France, is one of the largest city squares in Europe (approximately 31 ac or 12.6 ha).

It was laid out in 1820 on the site of Château Trompette and wasintended to prevent rebellion against the city. Its guns were turned towards the centre. Its current shape (lengthened rectangle rounded off with a semicircle) was adopted in 1816. Trees were planted (in quincunxes, hence the name of the square) in 1818.

The two rostral columns (21 m high) facing the Garonne were erected by Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau in 1829. One of them symbolises commerce, and the other stands for navigation. The white-marble statues of Michel de Montaigne and Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu (by sculptor Dominique Fortuné Maggesi) were added in 1858.

The principal monument was erected between 1894 and 1902, in memory of the Girondists who fell victim of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. It has a large pedestal framed with two basins, decorated with bronze horses and troops, and surmounted by a large column with a statue on top to represent the spirit of liberty.

Among the sculptures are:

At the feet of the tank with horses: Ignorance, Lie and Vice. The quadriga horse-fish is a representation of Happiness. The column was erected by Achille Dumilatre and Victor Rich. The pedestal is by Corgolin. In 1942 the horses that were removed during the German occupation of France in World War II were reerected with their bronze restored.

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