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Origin and history

The Saint-Nicolas church, located at 36 Grand Street Saint-Nicolas in the Saint-Cyprien district of Toulouse, is dedicated to Saint Nicolas, protector of sailors and flood victims. This choice is explained by the historical vulnerability of the district to the floods of the Garonne, such as the devastating one of 1875. The building, rebuilt in 1300 and rebuilt in the 15th century, features an octagonal bell tower typical of the Toulouse style, inspired by the basilicas Saint-Sernin and the Jacobins, with geminied bays and arches in mitre. Its portal, adorned with a high relief of the Adoration of the Magi attributed to the workshop of Pierre Viguier (XVth–XVIth centuries), illustrates the local artistic influence.

The nave, of southern Gothic style, is divided into five spans and decorated with neo-Gothic frescoes by Bernard Bénézet between 1891 and 1894, illustrating the life of Saint Nicholas. These paintings, commissioned after the flood of 1875, were designed to embellish the church while celebrating its patron saint. The choir, richly decorated in the 18th century, houses a marble altarpiece in the Minervois, the work of sculptors Étienne Rossat and Jean-Baptiste Despax, incorporating a bas-relief by Nicolas Bachelier (1554). The side chapels, added in the 16th century, contain remarkable elements such as a Pietà by Jean-Louis Ajon and Renaissance frescoes.

The organ, built between 1845 and 1847 by Daublaine and Callinet, replaces an older instrument sold at the church of Seysses. Ranked a historic monument, it includes three keyboards and a pedal, while its neo-Gothic buffet, also protected, completes the ensemble. The church, classified in 1986, bears witness to the restoration campaigns carried out after the floods, such as that led by architect Henri Rocher in the late 19th century. Its original tympanum, damaged by the weather, was replaced by moulds, the medieval fragments being preserved at the Museum of Augustins.

The history of the church dates back to the 12th century, linked to a vow of the inhabitants to protect themselves from flooding. Mentioned in 1197, it was dependent on the Benedictines of the Daurade. The quadrangular base of the bell tower and some carved elements could date from this period. In the 15th century, Jean Constantin oversees the reconstruction of the nave and vaults, while the southern gate, attributed to the workshop of Pierre Viguier, integrates into this campaign. The contrast between external austerity and inner wealth reflects stylistic developments and liturgical needs throughout the centuries.

The frescoes of Bénézet, although partially unfinished (completed by his pupil Léon Cazelles), cover the walls of narrative and decorative scenes. These works, as well as the statues of the ebrasements of the portal (classified in 1906 but now very degraded), illustrate the cultural and spiritual importance of the church for the neighborhood. The destruction of the porch in 1826 and subsequent restorations altered some elements, but the building remains a major testimony of Toulouse's religious architecture, mixing medieval heritage and modern beautifications.

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