Couvent des Jacobins — Attraction in Toulouse

Construction of this dramatic and spectacular Gothic style church commenced in 1230 and, like the Cathedral of St Etienne, was another attempt to halt the growing power of the Cathar sect in the region. The interior of the church is simply massive and it is famous for it's palmtree-like constructions at the top of the central columns, the largest of which contains 22 supporting branches.. The convent was built by the Order of Dominicans and the relics of its famous philosopher & teacher, St Thomas Aquinas, are kept there. After the French Revolution, Napoleon took over the church and turned it into a barracks. A wooden floor was installed to provide the soldiers with living quarters, while downstairs was turned into stables and a horse training centre. The upper floor was subsequently removed in 1905. During World War I, many of the treasures from the museums of Paris were transferred to the convent for protection. There is a beautiful cloister to the side of the church, off of which there are a number of interesting chapels which were used by the monks for prayer and silent contemplation. Today, the de-consecrated church is used as a museum, concert and...

A grand Roman Catholic church downtown and a local landmark of the city! Built in 13th century, the convent is featured with its tall tower and red bricks. A beautiful Gothic architecture worth visiting! The chapel has very high pillars and ceiling, giving a quiet and solemn feeling. One can find the relics of Thomas Aquinas, author of Summa Theologica, inside. Through a small gift shop behind the chapel, one can pay and go into cloister area, where one can see a square courtyard and corridor around it. The chambers beside have fine art work. There is a well surrounded by tall trees in the middle of the courtyard. The church is well preserved and maintained. The boards on the wall show the history of the place. It is a nice attraction to see in the city if you are interested in the church building...

Now a museum this deconsecrared church was home of the Dominicans. It contains the tomb of St Thomas Aquinas who belonged to the order. The cloister and museum are accessible (for €4) from inside the church which itself is free. Like most of Toulouse it is made of brick, the city having a sandy loam instead of natural stone Don't miss the palm pillar vaulting the ceiling.

From its unostentatious entrance, the whole is an oasis in the city with some absorbing history. The refectory, for instance, was used in the nineteenth century by the military to train horses. Look out for the video about the autodidact Maurice Prin who restored the site in the 1950s using, in part, pillar capitals scavenged from other ruined cloisters he found along the Pyrenees. There are loos inside the cloister, a shop...