The " Wilson" Square in Toulouse .
- Franck BRUGUIERE
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
INTRODUCTION :
Today, we are going to talk about the second most iconic square in Toulouse : " Place Wilson " .
Indeed, it is interesting on the several levels : for its beauty, its history and the fact that it is also very lively .
What if we set off to discover it together .....
The history of the Wilson square :
In 1900, it was called " Place Lafayette " and had a " Belle Époque " atmosphere .
In 1916, it was renamed " Place Wilson" , after the President of the United States .
At that time, it was already the cultural heart of the Pink City .
It was built on the site of former ramparts of Toulouse known as the " Porte Villeneuve " .
It was here, in 1562, that the Protestants fled Toulouse, pursued by Catholics .
In 1816, the city's bourgeoisie and notable figures would meet in one of the ma ny cafés to plot a conspiracy .
They were arrested by " Simon de Monfort and the Bishop of Toulouse " .
It took on its semi-circular shape in the 18th. century.
The pink-brick buildings, all identical, date from 1830.
The façades of the buildings are in a classical style !!! .
Moreover, its pleasant way of life, its greenery, and the layout of the buildings are reminiscent odf the " Insulae " of Rome ( giving it an Italian atmosphere with multi-storey buildings ) .
At that time, the square was already very lively, with many of the best restaurants, hotels, and theaters , and especially large cafés with terraces .
The Cafés there are luxurious, featuring elements such as copper, ceramics, and ceiling drapes.
Classical music or variety music is played there .
There were three major cafés :
Le Grand café des Américains .
La Café de la Comédie .
L'Albrighi .
But the great distinctive feature of this square was the presence of many theaters.
Among them was the " Théâtre des Variétés " , a former " UGC " cinema located in a splendid Art Deco-style building on the esplanade next to " Place Wilson " .
All kinds of performances were staged there, and the offer was as extensive as in Paris .
As for cinema, films were projected outdoors, and people watched them from the upper floors of bars.
The first shown in a cinema was screened in 10903 .
" Place Wilson today :
Nowadays, the square is still very lively , with many Cafés, restaurants, hotels and shops located here .
At the center of this oval-shaped square is a circular garden .
Here, children can be seen running after pigeons, Spanish refugees playing cards or chess.
In 2025, the city redesigned this garden to make it more open and spacious !!! .
-The Statue of Godolin, known as " Goudoulin " in Occitan :
This statue which firms part of this magnificent fountain was placed at the center of the garden by the sculptor " Alexandre Falguière ".
The fountain reflects the poetic and Occitan soul of the city .
" Goudoulin " was an Occitan poet.
He received a modest award from the Toulouse " Académie des jeux Floraux " , , which is, it should noted, the oldest literary academy in Europe, over seven hundred years old .
He eventually lost his fame as French became dominant over Occitan .
-Two other, more modest statues are also present in the garden , in the middle of the square :
-Facing " Rue Saint-Antoine du T " is the statue of " Aranud Sylvestre ", a poet who sang of love and the author of works for the " Théâtre du Capitole " .
-The last statue is that of " Ephraïm Mikhaël ", which stands on a pedestal featuring figures fighting a dragon .
-The last cinema " the Gaumont " :
In 1960, the square had thirty-two cinemas.
Today, only the " Gaumont " remains , offering the largest cinema screen in Europe .
-The Capoul Brasserie :
At the time , it was a luxury brasserie, with beautiful parquet floors, wall lamps, and banquettes.
Today, it is still very elegant.
It was inaugurated in 1927 on " Place Wilson " .
You can enjoy delicious meals or have a drink there at any time of the day .
The establishment has a magnificent terrace overlooking the garden .
-The small Japanese restaurant " TAKUMI " :
A note for Japanese food lovers.
This restaurant serves an excellent Japanese cheesecake that i recommend .
-The Lebanese restaurant " Byblos " :
I recommend this restaurant for lovers of Lebanese food .
It also has a beautiful terrace where you can enjoy a drink at any time of day .
-The restaurant " le Bon Vivre " :
This restaurant serves cuisine made with fresh produce.
I Highly recommend it .
It also has a lovely outdoor terrace where you can have a drink at any time of day .
That's all for today my friends.
If you ever come to visit Toulouse, you will inevitably pass by this magnificent square , with its circular architecture and the lively atmosphere of our Pink City !!! .
Welcome in Toulouse .
The blog from Toulouse .
Best regards, Franck .
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