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Origin and history

The hotel of Brucelles, located at 19 rue des Changes in the historic centre of Toulouse, was built between 1527 and 1535 for Arnaud de Brucelles, then capitoul (municipal magistrate) of the city. Its facade, characteristic of the late Gothic style, is made of coronage (pans of wood crossed in X filled with bricks), a typical technique of medieval Toulouse architecture. The thread ornaments add refined elegance to this ensemble, reflecting the transition between Gothic and Renaissance.

The interior courtyard houses one of the hotel's jewels: an octagonal Renaissance-style staircase tower built around 1532. This tower, exceptionally rich in decorations, rises on seven floors crowned with false machicoulis and a stone openwork balustrade. The baluster galleries, organized on three levels corresponding to the floors of the house, are vaulted with caissons decorated with florets. They connect the tower to a second building body, where large windows framed with canned pilasters underline the Italian influence.

The entrance of the tower is marked by the weapons of Arnaud de Brucelles, surmounted by six windows and high-relief figures depicting characters at mid-body. These carved elements, integrated into the brick masonry, illustrate the high social status of the sponsor. The hotel, registered to historical monuments since 18 September 1925, remains today a private property closed to the public, thus preserving its intimate character and architectural authenticity.

The historical context of its construction coincides with the golden age of Toulouse, then provincial capital prosperous thanks to the pastel trade. The capituls, like Arnaud de Brucelles, embodied the urban elite, mixing political power and artistic patronage. The private hotel, symbol of this wealth, also reflects the opening of the city to Italian artistic currents, introduced by local merchants and artisans.

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