Visit the basilica of saint michel and its spire

THE HISTORY OF THE MONUMENTS

The Bordeaux monument was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, in place of an old church outside the city walls. It was a key stopover for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in France.

It should be noted that the spire was not always complete. On 10 August 1759, the tower suffered an earthquake. Then following hurricanes and other natural disasters, the top of the spire was swept away. Several restoration projects were carried out, but it was not until 1860 that Paul Abadie began the renovation work. It would take almost ten years for it to reach its highest point and for its construction to be completed.

A PLACE OF WORSHIP

The basilica, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an imposing place, 75 metres long from the choir to the entrance and 38 metres wide. Indeed, the monument is one of the largest places of worship in the Bordeaux area. It holds numerous works of art, notably a pietà dating from the end of the 15th century. There are also stained glass windows dating mainly from the 16th, 19th and 20th centuries. Among the oldest is the “Tree of Jesse” which represents the presumed family tree of Jesus of Nazareth from Jesse, the father of King David.

Our VisioTour will take you on a tour of this picturesque area with rich and exciting commentary.

A SPIRE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL TALLER

This 114-metre high bell tower is the third highest in France, after Strasbourg and Rouen. The reason it is separate from the church itself is to prevent the heavy weight of the bell tower from destabilising the church building. Indeed, the presence of unstable marshy ground in the Bordeaux subsoil risked causing the collapse of the bell tower, which was heavily subjected to vibrations.

Apart from the Saint-Michel spire, which stands out from the visual landscape, nothing alters the linear character of the city: no modern buildings, no towers or skyscrapers have disturbed the horizon, and the city today is very close to what it was in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The spire is a must-see place to visit in Bordeaux. An unusual and panoramic dimension as well as a remarkable gothic architecture not to be missed. On board our panoramic bus, you will have the opportunity to visit Bordeaux from a height of 4 metres.

THE MUMMIES OF SAINT-MICHEL

It was in 1791 that it was decided in Bordeaux to remove the graves around the parish churches. During the excavation work, 74 bodies were discovered. Among them, some had been naturally preserved by the nature of the soil. Renamed “the mummies of Saint-Michel“, these bodies were for a long time exposed under the church tower, in a crypt with a macabre staging. Some famous travellers have visited the mummies, such as Théophile Gaultier and Victor Hugo.

In 1979, because they spoiled in contact with the air, the mummies were placed in wooden coffins and placed in an anonymous tomb in the Chartreuse cemetery, near Saint-André cathedral.

The Basilica of Saint-Michel in Bordeaux shares with Saint-André Cathedral the particularity of having an independent bell tower. Its spire was built in the 15th century on a former charnel house where mummies exhumed from the surrounding cemetery were placed at the end of the 18th century.

The Basilica of Saint-Michel is a major tourist attraction in Bordeaux and a must-see architectural jewel in the Gironde. This building, with its tower and bell tower, is one of the most beautiful buildings you can visit in Aquitaine. Together with the Saint-André cathedral, the Saint-Michel basilica is one of the most beautiful monuments of the city of Bordeaux, rich in history and culture. Follow the guide and let our imperial bus tell you all about the mysteries of this building and the secrets of its architecture.