Toulouse attractions what to see in 1 day. The main attractions of Toulouse - the pink city

Sights of Toulouse. The most important and interesting sights of Toulouse - photos and videos, descriptions and reviews, location, websites.

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Toulouse Cathedral

Toulouse, Place Saint Etienne

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of Saint-Etienne in Toulouse is recognized as a national monument of the country. The exact date of construction of the original building is unknown: the first mention of a church in this place dates back to 844. In 1073, the Bishop of Toulouse ordered the cathedral to be rebuilt.

• There are many places in Toulouse worth visiting to feel like you haven't wasted your time in the city. Firstly, these are beautiful and interesting Toulouse churches from a historical and architectural point of view. The asymmetrical Saint-Etienne Cathedral and the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, built in the 11th century.

  The former Jacobin monastery was built in the 13th century, but only its church has survived to this day in its original form. It is very interesting both in itself and by the fact that the relics of St. are kept inside. Thomas Aquinas. The interior architecture of the church is worth attention: here you can see the so-called Jacobin palm - a specific column supporting the vaults from the inside.

  The city's secular buildings also deserve attention. This is primarily the imposing Capitol in a palace style, in one wing of which there is a national theater. Also worth a look is the Hotel d'Asseza, one of the most famous old mansions in Toulouse.

  The Space City amusement park deserves special mention, where an educational model of the Mir space station and the real Soyuz module are exhibited.

  Pont Neuf, the old bridge of Toulouse, which is called "new", like the one in Paris, is the only surviving old bridge over the Garonne River. It was built between 1544 and 1626. Another “river” attraction of the city is the Canal du Midi (or Canal of the Two Seas) 240 km long. It connects the Garonne to the Mediterranean Sea and is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

  Toulouse has plenty of national level museums, including the excellent Georges Labi Museum, which houses collections of Asian and ancient Egyptian art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Saint-Raymond Museum of Antiquity, and the Augustinian Museum with a wonderful collection of paintings from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

  Toulouse is considered one of the most “alternative” cities in France; perhaps due to the large number of students or due to the historical background associated with the Spanish Republicans/Communists/Anarchists. One way or another, the city's alternative scene (concerts, free events, festivals, exhibitions) is very much worth attention.

  The Space City amusement park deserves special mention, where an educational model of the Mir space station and the real Soyuz module are exhibited. The other exhibits of the museum, including the planetarium, are very educational and interesting, so you can easily spend half a day here with the whole family.

In the center of Toulouse there are many narrow streets, ancient mansions of wealthy lords, and a large botanical garden. Most of the buildings are made of pink bricks, which gives the city an extreme softness, especially during sunrises and sunsets.

The main historical heritage of Toulouse is the Basilica of Saint-Sernin and the Capitol.
The Basilica of Saint-Sernin de Toulouse is the largest Romanesque church that has survived in Europe. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can visit the temple any day, from 9:00 to 18:00. Free admission. It is located on the square of the same name - place Saint-Sernin.

The Capitol is located on the city square of the same name. The local government has been sitting here for several centuries. The building has eight columns, which symbolize the chapter houses of the Middle Ages. The Capitol has a large opera house, a symphony hall and a city library. Also worth a look is the beautiful courtyard. Anyone can visit the building.

Space City (Cité de l'espace) is a great place to learn more about space exploration and the solar system. This modern amusement park opened in 1997. Over the entire period, about 5 million people visited it. In the park you can see exhibitions of models of rockets, spaceships, satellites, attend thematic lectures, and watch films about the aerospace sector. You can also visit the planetarium, one of which shows the first starry sky that the ancient Egyptians saw. The town will also be interesting for children. There are many space-themed attractions here. The town is located on the outskirts of Toulouse on Avenue Jean Gonord, it can be visited every day from 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays in winter. Admission for adults - 20 euros, under 15 years old - 16 euros, for children under 5 years old - free.

The South Canal was built in 1681 to connect the Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas for ships to pass through. Its length is 240 km. The canal is built in such a way that the ship passing by is much higher than you. This is the most complex structure of this period. Nowadays, only tourist boats ply the canal. The canal is under the care of UNESCO.

It is also worth visiting the town of Blagnac to take a tour of the Airbus plant (Airbus S.A.S.). All visitors can see how the liners are assembled and the interiors are modeled. The tour costs 25 euros, you need to book the tour in advance. The use of a camera is prohibited.

Museums of Toulouse

The Augustinian Museum (Musée des Augustin) is a large art museum that occupies the building of a former Augustinian monastery on Rue de Metz, 21. The museum has more than four thousand exhibits of outstanding artists and sculptors. The museum is open from Monday to Thursday, and on Sunday. Ticket price is 2.5 euros.

The Museum of Modern Art (Les Abattoirs) is located on allee Charles-de-Fitte. Visiting days are from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00 to 19:00. The entrance ticket costs 6 euros.

The Musée Paul Dupuy has a large collection of decorative art from the Middle Ages. Also, the museum displays exhibits from the pharmacy of the Jesuit order, and a collection of 130 antique watches. Paul Dupuis collected all the exhibits into his own collection, but eventually decided to open a museum. The museum is located on Rue de la Pleau, 13. You can visit the building every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 17:00. Entrance - 4 euros.

The Georges Labit Museum contains a collection of art and artifacts from the Ancient East, India, China, and Egypt. There is an exotic garden near the museum. The museum is located at Rue des Martyrs de la Resistance, 49.

The Museum of the History of Medicine (Musée de l’Histoire de la médecine), is located on Place Laganne. There is a collection of old medical instruments, books, engravings, and ancient pharmaceutical medicines.

New Bridge (Pont-Neuf) Despite its name, the New Bridge is a very old building in Toulouse, dating back more than 5 centuries. Construction lasted about a hundred years. The resulting bridge consists of seven arches. This bridge is a symbol of the city, and therefore every tourist should visit it at least once. It is best to do this in the evening. At night, the bridge has amazing lighting that playfully displays in the water.

The Laganne water tower (Chêteau d’Eau de Laganne) is located near the New Bridge. Its other name is Lagan Water Castle. Previously, it was a hydraulic machine to distribute the waters of the local Garonne river. Then the tower was used as a warehouse. Now the building houses a photography gallery, library, video library, and hosts regular exhibitions.

The House of Violets (La Maison de la Violette) is a place that combines both a boutique and a museum. By visiting this House, you can not only learn everything about violets, but also purchase products from these beautiful flowers and everything that is in some way connected with them (books, postcards, clothes, accessories, eau de toilette, cosmetics, tea, sweets, etc. and the flowers themselves). There is a café on the open terrace near the house during the warmer months of the year. Also, master classes are often held in the House of Violets. The building is located on Boulevard Bonrepos, 3. The House of Violets can be visited every day except Sunday, from 10:00 to 19:00, lunch from 12 to 14.

The Botanical Garden (Jardin des plantes de Toulouse) connects two city parks - the Grand Ron and the Royal Garden. On 7 hectares of land you can see a variety of local and tropical plants, rare species of trees, flower beds, canaries, peacocks, ruins of ancient buildings, sculptures by local craftsmen. A huge pond makes the park a real oasis among urban buildings. Also, the Botanical Garden houses the Natural History Museum. Location - Allée des Justes des Nations. Opening hours: from 8:00 to 18:00.

To buy fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and homemade wine from neighboring suburbs, it is worth visiting the farmers' market on Boulevard de Strasbourg. The market is open every Sunday from early morning until lunch.

Toulouse- a vibrant city. It boldly combines romantic ancient architecture and ultra-modern buildings. Everyone who visits this wonderful city will be able to find something unusual for themselves.

Toulouse in France is often called the “pink city”. This name was given to it for a reason, because most of the buildings in it are built of red brick, acquiring pink tones in the rays of the setting sun. Toulouse has a rich, centuries-old history. It attracts tourists with architectural monuments of the Renaissance, unusual museums and picturesque landscapes. Despite the many ancient buildings, the city looks modern and well-groomed. Today it is the administrative center of the French department of Haute-Garonne and the capital of the Occitanie region.

Location and infrastructure of the city

Toulouse on the map of France is located in the southwestern part of the country on the banks of the Garonne River. It is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by only 150 km. To get from the city to the Atlantic coast, a traveler will need to cover a distance of 250 km. More than 437 thousand people live in Toulouse today. In terms of population, it ranks fourth in the state, behind Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

Modern Toulouse is not just a beautiful city whose sights you want to capture in photos. It houses the country's largest enterprises in the aerospace, biochemical, information technology and other important industries. The main production facilities of the world famous concerns Airbus and Ariane are located in the city.

The city ranks second in the country after the capital in terms of the number of students. More than 110 thousand girls and boys who come from all regions of the country and from abroad receive higher education at the universities located here.

Expert opinion

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

In addition to French, the Occitan dialect, spoken by the indigenous population of the area, is widely spoken in Toulouse. Because of this, street names, plaques and store signs are written in two languages. Although the city is not a resort and does not have access to the open sea, it is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Toulouse (a French road map can confirm this) is located at the intersection of major highways, so it is often visited by travelers traveling to other French cities or to Spain. There are especially many tourists in the spring and summer, when the weather on the city streets is warm.

Historical excursion into the past

In ancient times, the city of Toulouse was a small Gallic settlement and was called Tolosa. In 106 BC. e. it was captured by the Romans and became part of the Roman Empire. The city gradually grew and by the 4th century it had its own bishop. In 419-507, Toulouse was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom, but in 508 it was captured by Frankish troops. After this, the city was repeatedly proclaimed the capital of the Kingdom of Aquitaine. In 778, it was proclaimed the seat of the rulers of the county of Toulouse, who controlled the southern regions of France. From this period, the rapid development and enrichment of the city began. The growth of his wealth was also facilitated by the fact that he was on the crowded route of El Camino de Santiago - the pilgrimage road leading to the tomb of the Apostle James in Spain.

Clermont Ferrand city attractions and weather

At the beginning of the 13th century, Toulouse experienced a long siege and capture by the Crusaders, but this event did not have a negative impact on its development. In 1214 the Dominican Order was founded here, and in 1229 the university began to operate.

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In 1271, Toulouse was annexed to the royal domain and proclaimed the capital of the province of Languedoc. She held this status until the beginning of the Great French Revolution. In the 19th century, Toulouse (France) gradually turned into a provincial settlement, lagging behind in its economic development. The revival of the city began in the last century after the construction of large aerospace industry enterprises. Today, this industry employs about 10% of the city's adult population.

Weather and attractions of the capital of Occitania

Jacobite Priory

Before setting off on a trip to the south of France, tourists often wonder what the weather will be like in Toulouse for a week. The best time to visit the city is from May to September. During these months, the region experiences warm, sunny weather with little rainfall and temperatures ranging from 20°C to 28°C. In winter, the temperature in the city rarely drops below 5°C, so those traveling to the south of France at odd times for the holidays should not worry that the weather in Toulouse for 14 days or a longer period will be unsuitable for exploring the local attractions. In order not to get wet from the rains, which often occur in winter in the capital of Occitania, the traveler must take an umbrella with him.
What attractions can you see in Toulouse? Guests of this southern French city are primarily interested in the architectural monuments of the Renaissance era preserved in it. Such structures include:

• St. Stephen's Cathedral(was founded in the second half of the 11th century and was built over several hundred years);
• Basilica of Saint Saturninus(built between 1080 and 1120, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site);
• Jacobite monastery(erected in the 13th-14th centuries, the burial place of Thomas Aquinas is located on its territory).

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Basilica of Saint Saturninus

Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Dorade

In addition to the listed architectural structures, tourists love to take photos against the backdrop of the basilica. Notre-Dame de la Dorade, the construction of which began in the 60s of the 18th century and lasted more than a hundred years. Also in the capital of Occitania, France has sights of civil architecture, among which a special place is occupied by ancient mansions consisting of several floors, designed by the Renaissance architect N. Bachelier.

Expert opinion

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

Tourists bring many photographs from the main square of Toulouse, the Capitol, where the city hall, built more than 250 years ago, is located. In the very center of the square there is a huge Occitan cross, which locals consider the hallmark of their city.

Toulouse is one of the most ancient and interesting cities in France for tourists. It began its life in the 3rd century BC as a Celtic settlement. Modern Toulouse, the sights of this city, its friendly residents and excellent tourist infrastructure today attract travelers from all over the world like a magnet.

Most of the architectural sights of this city have been built of red brick for many centuries. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, this material was considered a sign of luxury and high status in society. And today this “red” architecture gives Toulouse a special charm and sophistication that tourists love so much.

TOP 15 attractions of Toulouse

Toulouse can rightfully be called the pearl of France. Many people mistakenly believe that all the country's attractions are collected in Paris. However, the nature, architecture and centuries-old history of Toulouse can capture the imagination of even the most fastidious traveler.

In Toulouse, this building, just like in Ancient Rome, is called the Capitol. The town hall was built in the 18th century and initially served purely administrative functions. Since the beginning of the 19th century, there has been a local opera house with an excellent concert hall, where classical musicians from all over the world love to perform.

2. Basilica of Saint-Sernin

This basilica was built in the 11th-12th centuries and dedicated to Saint Saturninus. In the 3rd century, he preached the commandments of Jesus Christ and was executed because he did not want to participate in pagan ritual actions. A guest courtyard for pilgrims was built near the basilica, which has survived to this day almost unchanged.

This museum is dedicated to modern art, many of whose great works were given to the world by France. The museum itself began operating in the 19th century and immediately became one of the best in the country and the world. Here you can see a large number of works of painting, sculpture, photography, design, etc.

This cathedral was built over several centuries, so several styles are intertwined in its architecture. Moreover, out of habit, the residents of Toulouse to this day believe that the cathedral is not completed. Here you can see stained glass windows from the Renaissance and other architectural decorations up to the Classical era.

This church was built in the 13th century and is an example of French Gothic architecture. During the French Revolution, the church was reformatted into a gunpowder warehouse. Here you can see many stained glass windows with pictures from the Bible. Today the church premises are used for music concerts.

6. Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Dorade

In ancient times there was a Roman sanctuary here; later it was handed over to Christians. And on this site a Christian temple was built. In the 18th century, the construction of a new basilica began; according to French tradition, it continued for more than a century. Today the basilica is famous throughout the world for its organ music concerts.

This museum appeared in the 18th century on the territory of a former Catholic monastery with an area of ​​about 6000 sq.m. It has enormous multimillion-dollar funds, which are increasing daily, thanks to gifts from private and public collections. Here you can visit the library and read ancient manuscripts.