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Origin and history

The Augustine convent of Toulouse was originally established in 1268 outside the city walls, near the Matabiau gate, by hermits of the order of St Augustine. Thanks to Pope Clement V's authorization in 1309, the religious acquired an intramural land to build a new convent between 1310 and 1341. The church, of southern Gothic style, was built under the direction of Jean de Lobres, with a unique nave and a flat bedside surrounded by chapels. The cloister, begun in 1341, was completed in 1396 under the supervision of pierrier Jean Maurin.

In 1463, a fire ravaged Toulouse and severely damaged the convent, destroying part of the archives and roofs. The reconstruction began in 1495 under the direction of the masons Martin Pujol and Pierre d'Arroye, and the church was restored in 1504. The convent then experienced a gradual decline: the number of monks decreased (from 200 in the 14th–15th centuries to about 30 in 1680), and events such as the looting of 1542 or lightning striking the bell tower in 1550 worsened its deterioration. In 1562, three apostate augusts were publicly punished, illustrating the religious tensions of the time.

At the Revolution, the convent was declared national in 1789 and disused in 1790. In 1795, the church became the Muséum du Midi de la République, the first museum in Toulouse, housing confiscated works of art. In the 19th century, major changes took place: the medieval refectory was destroyed in 1868 to break through the Rue d'Alsace-Lorraine, and architect Denis Darcy, a collaborator of Viollet-le-Duc, built a monumental wing (1880–1903) in an eclectic style combining neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance. Ranked a historic monument in 1840, the site was completely restored between 1948 and 1980.

Today, the Museum of the Augustins preserves its medieval cloistered arches, its vaulted vaulted hall, and the chapel Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, decorated with the coat of arms of Louis I of Anjou. The Darcy wing, with its monumental staircase, bears witness to the 19th century enlargements. The convent thus illustrates eight centuries of history, from Augustine monasticism to contemporary cultural vocation.

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