The " Saint-Cyprien" square in Toulouse.
- Franck BRUGUIERE
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY :
Today, we're setting off to discover the " Saint-Cyprien " district, located on the left bank of the Garonne river . ( The historic city center lies on the right bank ) .
Over the course of the history of the Pink City, the district has been Toulouse's working-class neighborhood.
Today, it is changing and improving .
We're mainly going to talk about the neighborhood's square, " Place Saint-Cyprien" , which is one of the large squares in Toulouse. It is rectangular in shape and designed in a neoclassical style .
It was laid out by " Saget " as early as the second half of the 18th. century .
In 1779, it was called " Place intérieure Saint-Cyprien " because it was located on the side facing the historic city center .
Conversely, it was referred to as " Place Extérieure Saint-Cyprien" because it was located on the left bank of the Garonne , in what was then the countryside !!! .
It has been as a protected heritage site since 1844.
We ate going to discover three places :
The monumental gate.
The former public bathhouse.
The covered " Saint-Cyprien " market .
The monumental gate :
It was built between 1776 and 1789 during the redevelopment of the " Saint-Cyprien " suburb to protect it against flooding from the Garonne river.
This gate was constructed for its beauty....it is not a defensive gate like those of the Middle Ages .
It consists of twin arches and large pink brick pillars topped with statues .
They are two allegories !!! .
The first represents the " Province du Languedoc ", wearing a crown and surrounded by symbols of commerce.
The second represents the " City of Toulouse ", dressed in a military dress with a crown and a round shield.
Beneath her feet are weapons and an enemy .
In 1788, a wrought-iron gate was installed .
During the great flood of 1875, it was carried away, and today it is located around the gardens district, know as the " Grand Rond " neighborhood .
The former public baths :
At the time of the Revolution, there were six public baths in Toulouse, most of which were located on barges along the Garonne river.
It wasn't the 1930s and the development of urban planning that these municipal baths began to spread .
In 1932, Toulouse had seven municipal baths, providing 86 000 showers per year, of which 4 000 were free .
The building located on the square was inaugurated in 1931, facing the covered " Saint-Cyprien " market .
The building is in the Art Deco style and is distinguished by a splendid mosaic on its façade.
At the time, it has twelve shower stalls for woman and the same number for men .
In 1992, the new building came to house the district town hall and the civic center.
The mosaic frieze was restored and preserved on the façade.
The " Saint-Cyprien" covered market :
It is the third, the last, and the smallest of Toulouse's covered markets.
Notably, it is the only covered hall in the Eiffel style fron the 19th. century that has been preserved in the Pink City .
Indded, as a reminder, the two other large covered markets in Toulouse are housed in modern parking structures .( Victor Hugo and Carmes markets ) .
Its size makes it a traditional market with a lively and friendly atmosphere .
Every day, around thirty vendors offer a wide variety of fresh products.
Note that on Mondays, the market hosts booksellers instead of regular vendors.
Like the two other large covered markets in Toulouse, the " Saint-Cyprien " market hosts evening events.
The idea is to come and enjoy the market's fresh products at night while partying to the music of a DJ !!! .
NB :-Review the post about Toulouse's contemporary art museum, " Les Abattoirs " , there , you will find defensive walls of Toulouse dating from the Middle Ages, renovated and located near " Place Saint-Cyprien " .
Well, my friends, that's all for today.
Yes, the magnificent historic center of Toulouse is an absolute must-see, but the left bank of the Garonne, and the "Saint-Cyprien " district are definitely worth as well .
Welcome in Toulouse .
The blog from Toulouse .
Best regards, Franck .
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