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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Collège Saint-Rome de Toulouse, built in the 16th century, is distinguished by its architecture inspired by Italian palaces. The building, developed on five levels, has a facade adorned with cords and pilasters, with a framed door with a shield bearing a cross and a rosary. The stair span, surmounted by a triangular pediment, adds to its monumental character. Originally, this site housed the Church of Saint-Roman, transformed into a Benedictine convent before being assigned to the Doctrinaries in 1604.

In 1604, the Fathers of the Christian Doctrine, called in Toulouse by Cardinal de Joyeuse, founded the Collège Saint-Rome, active until the Revolution. The bishop of Rieux established his public library there in 1705, which had now disappeared. The church, in ruins since 1753, was demolished in the early nineteenth century, leaving only the 17th century building body, now divided into apartments. The entrance door and the courtyard façade have been classified as Historic Monument since 1946.

The building illustrates the Italian architectural influence in Toulouse, with its superimposed windows, its prominent cornices and its brick and stone play. Its history also reflects the religious and educational transformations of the city, from Benedictine to Doctrinaires, before its conversion to private housing. The location in the heart of the island and its present state testify to its integration into the Toulouse urban fabric.

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