My Travel Blog: Toulouse History 101

Thursday 19 June

Up early again for a 9.30 start at the Information Centre, Place de Capitole where we met Penelope, with her green trolley bag (containing flasks of tea and cakes for morning tea!).

The walk encompasses the history and stories about the most famous of Toulouse’s landmarks. We have 'done' most of these places, but without the history behind the buildings we only have half the appreciation.

So we started our tour at the immense Place Capitôle & Toulouse’s stunning town hall;

This is our tour guide, Penelope, she was obviously a history buff and brought the buildings to life. Toulouse goes back a long way but has always been a place of learning and a place of justice.

There is a long story about the hierarchy of Toulouse rulers, the Duc ruled, but the area got too big for him to oversee alone, so he created consuls (called Capitols) to look after separate areas. These Capitols became rich and strong. A sign of their wealth was their ability to build fine houses and chateaux, they were also allowed to build towers on their houses. However it became very expensive for them so some of them used to just build facades and a two or three storey house behind.

Wikipedia: "In the 12th century, consuls took over the running of the town and these proved to be difficult years. In particular, it was a time of religious turmoil. In Toulouse, the Cathars tried to set up a community here, but were routed by Simon de Montfort's troops. The subsequent arrival of the Inquisition led to a period of religious fervour during which time the Dominican Couvent des Jacobins was founded. Governed by Raimond II and a group of city nobles, Toulouse's urban boundaries stretched beyond its walls to the north and as far south as Saint Michel."

This is the Toulouse coat of arms - on a lamp post around the square, but it is in fact everywhere you look once you know. There is the lamb (of god) at the bottom with the Catalan square and each side there is a 3- turreted building, the right one is the Basilica St Sernin.

History tells us that during the French inquisition a dedicated priest called Sernin was tied to a bull and dragged through the city because he would not change his belief and he died just on this small road.

A few of his brave followers cut his body free and buried him on this spot where this church stands. Of course over time he became a martyr and the catholic basilica is now named after him -

Basilique St-Sernin – a key stop on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostel

Hidden treasure! Step through an alley way into a courtyard and look up, Heronso painted on the ceiling, such a pretty decoration hidden away, and then turn around, and another Heron picture outlining a window - didn't notice that before!

A peek through a doorway to hidden treasures inside privately owned houses.

It was time for morning tea, so we sat down in this Roman walled garden and Penelope produced flasks of tea and cakes that she had made. It was most welcome, we had walked quite a way by then.

This monastery tower was intended to be symmetrical on all four sides when built, however they used green wood and now each side is slightly warped!

A stroll along the scenic Garonne, these houses are mainly apartments.

A half timbered house, there are quite a few of them and they date back to the Fire of 1814 when the great fire of Toulouse destroyed hundreds of buildings over a period of two weeks. After that half timbered houses were banned as being a fire risk.

Wikipedia: "It was not until the 15th century that Toulouse started to enjoy a 'golden age'. Reinforcing its place as an administrative center, the city grew richer, participating in the trade of Bordeaux wine with England, as well as cereals and textiles. A Parliament was set up here by Charles VII and the city's merchants grew ever wealthier. Their economic well-being was mostly based on a plant-based blue dye known as pastel, which they exported throughout Europe. These pastel merchants built grand town houses and, before long, both architecture and the fine arts flourished in the city as never before.

This is a famouse 'Pastel' shop in Toulouse, the door to the right in this photo is beautifully detailed depicting the wealth of the tradesmen in those days.

This is a shot of the beautiful ceilings and interior of the shop preserved today.

The bubble finally burst in the mid-16th century. Another blue dye arrived from America, known as indigo. It wiped out the pastel trade in one fell swoop. Religious conflict broke out between the Catholics and the Calvinists. During the same time, buildings were destroyed by fire and there were yet more outbreaks of famine and plague."

This is the University of the Arts, each of the figures depicts an art form, painting, sculpture, architecture and one other, the names of the famous in their chosen art are carved into the brick beside the figure.