Le Capitole

The heart of Toulouse is its spectacular main plaza, where throngs of locals congregate on warm evenings to have coffee or an early aperitif at one of the sidewalk cafes.

The 128-meter-long façade of the 1750s-era Capitole, the municipal hall, may be found on the eastern side. Inside is the extravagant Salle des Illustres from the late 19th century and the Théâtre du Capitole, one of France's most prominent opera houses, Hall of the Illustrious. The city's Vieux Quartier, Old Quarter, is a maze of streets and lush squares bursting with cafes, boutiques, and dining options, located to the south of the square.

Interior of the Le Capitole :

You must ascend the Great Staircase, also called Escalier d'Honneur, constructed by Rivals in 1674, to access the Capitole's galleries. One of the chambers is decorated with a painting by Laurens that depicts the first floral games in Toulouse in 1324. The very first meeting of the oldest literary institution in the western world, the Academy of the Floral Games, is depicted in this artwork. Seven troubadours created it in 1324 to promote poetry.

Gervais room:

The lovely paintings by Paul Gervais in this area can help you find love at any age. Three paintings by the artist, representing love at ages 20, 40, and 60 as well as Cythera Island, the land of lovers, depict an allegory of love. This space used to serve as Toulouse's wedding hall.

Municipal council room:

Paintings by Roucolle, Paul Gervais, and Debat-Ponsan are used to embellish the space. Take note of the busts of King Raymond IV and other Visigoths. All of the mayors of the city since 1790 are listed on a slab of pink marble. Agricultural sceneries and numerous Toulouse monuments are depicted in every picture. In 1935, both the decorations and this room were finished.

Henri IV Courtyard:

The courtyard of Henri IV is accessible from the Capitole's main portal. Above the gate is a statue of the French king made of marble and sculpted by Thomas Heurtematte in 1607. The statue of Henri IV is the only one that was made during his reign. The Capitols decided to build a courtyard between the 16th and 17th centuries, which was encircled by two galleries created by Pierre Souffron.

To raise their status during the period, the Capitols wanted to construct a gallery where they could show their coats of portraits and arms. But this concept was rejected by the Toulouse Parliament. As a result, they presented Henri IV with a statue in the courtyard in exchange for the funding needed to finish the building.