This is one of the six town squares built by Jean-Pascal Virebent in the 18th Century. The beautiful fountain, which was added in 1853, depicts children kneeling in front of a turtle below pairs of herons and kingfishers. The buildings around the square have housed some of Toulouse's most famous residents: Pierre-Paul Riquet, who dedicated his life to building the Canal du Midi, once lived at number 1, and Jean Jaurès lived at number 20 for about ten years.
What is today known as Place Wilson, as a tribute to the 21st President of the United-States, was called Pré Villeneuve and was outside the city walls in older times. As of 1797, the decision was made to "push" the city limits to what were then the outskirts of town; from then on, Place Wilson had many names and changed looks with the passing of time. Was there a least common denominator to all the changes? Indeed there was: a sense of poetry. In 1898 a statue of the Occitan lawyer and poet Pierre Godolin, (known in French as Pierre Goudouli) was erected in the center of Place Wilson. Surrounded by cafés, brasseries, movies theaters and shops, Place Wilson is one of the most animated parts of town both day and night.
Named after the golden mosaics, which adorned it from the 6th century, this former Roman temple was later converted into a Christian church. The present building was started in 1764 and finished nearly a century later; it features a classical stone façade, with heavy columns supporting a triangular pediment. Behind the front, the brick nave and chapels are quite beautiful; they are best seen from the courtyard of the nearby Ecole des Beaux-Arts. This was an important stop on the way to Saint-Jacques-de Compostelle; pilgrims came here to see the miraculous Black Virgin. The original statue was burnt during the French Revolution and the one on display dates from 1807. The church still welcomes the many pilgrims who come to pay their respects.
Jean-Pascal Virebent is an important figure in the history of Toulouse. Appointed city architect in 1782, he radically changed its layout. He opened up six new squares; Place de la Trinité is one of them. His nephew Urbain Vitry designed the stone and marble fountain as well as the Lamothe house opposite, which features statues of the gods Mercury and Pomona. Today, this pedestrianized triangular square is very popular for its terraced cafés. Note the two-story glass building constructed at the turn of the century and decorated with splendid floral designs (on the corner of the Rue des Filatiers).
Pont Neuf claims to be the oldest and most beautiful bridge in Toulouse. It was built between 1544 and 1632, and Louis XIV himself crossed it in 1659. Flooding of the Garonne destroyed all the previous bridges, but this one has been in place for four centuries, thanks to tunnels above the arches, which allow water to flow away during floods. From the right bank, there is an exceptional view of the Hôtel-Dieu and the Prairie des Filtres Park; from the left, you can see the Daurade and Tunis quays. The two bridges either side are the Pont-Saint-Michel (upriver), and the Pont-Saint-Pierre (downriver). The latter offers an excellent view of the Pont Neuf.
Part of what used to be a huge private mansion was demolished in 1911 in order to leave room to build the Ozenne Street. This highly criticized project swept away seven other 15th, 16th and 17th-century town houses. There are now three left to see, among which the Dahus-Tournoër house (15th-16th century), which has now become a bank. The tall, recently renovated gothic façade is crowned by decorative machicolations and gargoyles. The hexagonal Tournöer tower has the largest spiral staircase of the city; outside, the door and the window above it are surrounded by renaissance-style bas-reliefs. There are two other historical mansions on the same street: the Baderon-Maussac house and the Potier-Laterrasse house.
This memorial was built in 1918 in honor of soldiers from the region, who fought during the First World War. Eight tall stone columns lead up to the pediment, on which the names of the main battlefields are engraved. A team of three sculptors created the bas-reliefs. Inscriptions celebrate the French troops' exceptional courage and the return of the Alsace-Lorraine region (occupied by Germany) to France.
Originally founded to cope with victims of the great plague epidemics in the 15th Century, it was converted into a general hospital in 1647. The Saint-Joseph de la Grave hospital is still a major medical center as well as an important feature in the landscape of Toulouse. Its striking copper dome is a happy contrast to the surrounding brick buildings. It is possible to visit the circular chapel under the dome (it was begun in 1758 and completed after the French Revolution): the facade and interior are severe whilst its height of 51 meters (167 feet) is impressive. Walk around the hospital buildings (dating from the 17th and 18th Centuries), go through the four courtyards and look out for the Taillefer tower on the North side.
On the corner of the Rue de la Concorde and the Rue Falguières, a tiny unnamed square has one of the most stunning fountains in Toulouse. It is crowned by a statue of a beautiful lady wearing a wide-brimmed hat: she is reported to be Clemence Isaure, a fictional character invented by troubadours to protect the local "Floral Games". At her feet, frogs and fish surround three turtles spitting water into the basin. Cast iron bas-reliefs on the pedestal represent various city monuments.
This large square, surrounded by the old cafés of the Saint-Aubin area, has a small-town atmosphere. The central fountain is one of the many designed by Urbain Vitry; it dates from 1832 and commemorates one of the battles of the Italian wars. The tall column is topped by an allegorical statue of Fame, and four water-spitting griffins. Read Napoleons' quotation on the pedestal: "My mind was at rest, the thirty-second column was there". The massive building at the far end of the square used to be a grain market (Halle aux Grains) connected to the Saint-Sauveur port behind it; it is now a concert hall.
The Rue de la République opens onto a triangular square, in the center of which stands a fountain, surrounded by handsome maple trees. The Olivier family donated the three-tiered fountain, built in the 19th Century by Dargassies, to the town after the terrible flood of 1875, which left the Saint-Cyprien area in ruins. On the opposite side of the street, a commemorative plate shows how high the water rose during the flood. Take a look at number 25 of the Rue de la République. Gaston Virebent, a famous potter, once lived in this splendid building.
Taking its name from the former salt warehouses, this square used to welcome lively fairs with jugglers and bear-keepers. It was also the site for hanging, beheading and wheel torture. The Place du Parlement is opposite; there are a few remains of the parliament (closed down in 1790) inside the present Cours d'Assises building. Outside among the plane trees stands a statue of Cujas, a famous local lawyer. On the opposite side, French kings used the large building on the corner when they stayed in Toulouse; since 1908 it has been a Protestant temple. On the right-hand side, the Seilhan house also called "Inquisition House" has been converted into a museum. End your visit with the Catholic Institute nearby to see a fragment of the Gallo-roman city walls.