Bordeaux, the remarkable city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, is recommended on various rankings as a city that should definitely be visited. Lonely Planet, the New York Times and "European Destination" have ranked the city high on the list of "must see cities."
History of Bordeaux
During the 3rd century B.C.E., Bordeaux was known as a settlement of the Celts. Over the following centuries, it has been in the hands of Romans, Franks and Norwegians. After a strategic marriage, the city was ruled by England from the 12th to the 15th century. Starting in the 13th century, wine was delivered to England which later gave Bordeaux its name, "Wine City". Wine became an important export product. The prosperity that emerged from this became visible in the architecture of the city and numerous impressive buildings. At the end of the 19th century, a disease hit the grapes and caused a decline in prosperity. In the early 20th century, the city was revived by the emerging arms industry.
Bordeaux was the temporary seat of the French government in both WWI and WWII. After WWII, Mayor Jacques Chaban-Delmas left his mark on the city for a long time.
