Place du Capitole, Toulouse

the place to be in Toulouse, all major events takes place here and where the people express themselves. The plaza is beautifully architecturally,and plenty of restos and stores all around this area.

See the donjon just by the passage behind and the salles des illustres. There is a nice theater too as well as serving as hotel de ville or mayor's office

So much info, and plenty in VT, will just strongly advise you to see it and if needs details let me know, I come here often.

This Building connected by two Henri IV Gates In the courtyard of Capitole.
In 1525, the sheriffs decide to build a new tower on the site of an ancient tower of defense to keep the archives of the city. this place is destined to this use until 1946.

In early 19th century, the tower was restored by Viollet-le-Duc, who restored turrets and gave him the appearance of the belfry. Since 1946, the tourist office is in the Donjon install.

In the last quarter of the eighteenth century, was built a grand staircase leading to the hall of fame. He was replaced in 1912 by the current staircase while the wall decoration was entrusted to the painter Toulouse Jean-Paul Laurens and his son, Peter and Paul Albert.

The gallery offers a dozen tables: The entrance of Pope Urban II at Toulouse, in my 1096 Benjamin Constant (1900) The defense of Toulouse against Simon de Montfort JP Laurens, Lauragais JP. Laurens, La Belle Paule on the balcony of Henri Rachou, the entrance of General Dupuy Caire Rixens ...

The accompanying set of these tables, twelve busts including those of General Caffarelli Empire and Pierre-Paul Riquet, the father of the Canal du Midi

At the right, quartre tables on the banks of the Garonne. The largest of them, the dreamers, watch Jean Jaures cap a straw hat, a beige overcoat, in the midst of local celebrities of the era whose painted itself (above)

Left four panels represent the seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
In addition, busts immortalize Nicolas Bachelier, architect and sculptor; Cujas jurisconssulte, Pierre de Fermat, mathematician ....

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The Place du Capitole (Capitol Square) was begun in the 18th century and the works finished in 1.851.

Le Capitole (second, third anf fourth pics), is tha City Hall and it houses the Théâtre Nationale du Capitole.

It is possible to visit it for free.

Located in the city’s main square. The Capitole is the 18th century city hall of Toulouse and best known landmark in the city. This impressive building started out life as the headquarters of the city's magistrates. Le Capitole is home to the Théâtre Nationale du Capitole and is also Toulouse's City Hall (build in the early 1750s). The building is open to the public. The eight pink marble columns really admired me, and then we can go onto explore the Hall of Fame with busts of local celebrities, and stroll through the courtyard where the works of local 19th-century artists are on display.

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The Capitole is a long building (128m) whose facade was built in 1750 by G. Cammas, to conceal the buildings behind it. Most were later demolished. Remarkably, it achieves its function and provides symbolism and backdrop. Within the building, to the north, is the Hotel de Ville. Running East-West at the center is an arcaded courtyard with an entry at either end emptying into the Pace du Capitole Westward and the Square Chas. de Gaulle to the East. The South part of the structure contains the Theater which houses the Opera and the Symphony Orchestra.The east facade was completed in 1883 as a simpler version of the west one.(Some interiors of merit have been painted by Henri Martin, a native son, and others were also commissioned in the late 19C but we did not enter to see them)..

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The Place du Capitole is a large rectangular space (12000 square meters) just West of the long building of the same name. The space overlies a large parking garage which can be entered only at the southwest corner. In the pavement of the square is a large brass Occitan Cross. Aside from some candelabra-like lampposts the square has no other decoration, but it is called the living-room of the city. Rarely presentations are made from the Capitole balcony (Napoleon, Chas. de gaulle, the winning International Rugby Team), but it is used for political and other public demonstrations. Street vendors and performers and everyone else walk by. Off season it is almost deserted, except for markets on the weekend. The square is made distinctive by being enclosed by a bank of red brick buildings of equal height, on each side of the square built in the 19C. The last group , on the south (1851) have an arcade running beneath (furnished in 1997 with a set of colorful(?) frescos by R. Moretti, who created the cross in the pavement. The idea of striping the buildings came with the arcades in 1855. So popular has this trademark become that when McDonald’s obtained a place at the NE corner (next to the Hotel de Ville), they were not permitted to put up their colored yellow and red logo. Beside this famous fast-food, there are 3 good restaurants, with outdoor tables and 5 bars around the square (and 1 hotel).

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The Capitole is the seat of municipal administration for the city of Toulouse and the quintessential image of the city’s grandeur. The first Capitol was built at the end of the 12th century, but the current structure dates from the mid- to late 18th century, when the building was redesigned in a Neo-Classical style. The Henri IV Gate (which will take you from the Place du Capitole through to Place Jean-Juarès and the Tourist Office) is the only surviving mediaeval component of the structure. It is remarkable not just because of its age, but also because of the beautiful designs up high on the interior walls of the Gate. In the courtyard between the two Henri IV Gates (that is, the one that gives onto the Place du Capitole and the other one that gives onto the Place Jean-Juarès), the city occasionally organizes information campaigns about Toulouse’s history and culture. When I was visiting, there was a display about the colour blue and specifically the unique indigo dye made from a specific plant that grows near Toulouse.