Place du Capitole, Toulouse, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

Place du Capitole is the main square of Toulouse, France, and the seat of the city's government for more than eight centuries. Its long neoclassical facade, which fronts the city hall and the opera house, is the best-known view in the city. It is where Toulouse meets, eats and celebrates.

The story behind it

Toulouse has been governed from this spot since the 12th century. The name Capitole comes from the capitouls, the magistrates who ran the medieval city. The building you see today has an 18th-century facade that unifies a patchwork of older buildings behind it, so the face of the town hall looks far more orderly than its history.

Underfoot is a large bronze-coloured Occitan cross, installed in 1995 and designed by the artist Raymond Moretti. It is linked to the counts of Toulouse, and Raymond IV is the count most often named in connection with it. The twelve points of the cross carry the signs of the zodiac, which also stand for the months of the year.

What to look for

• Look down at the Occitan cross set into the paving, and find the zodiac signs along its arms.
• Step back to take in the full width of the neoclassical facade and its row of tall columns and windows.
• Notice the pink brick that gives Toulouse its nickname, the pink city, echoed in the buildings around the square.
• Look for the entrance to the Salle des Illustres inside the Capitole, a grand hall with paintings and gilded decoration drawn from the city's past.

Tips for your visit

• Walking across the square costs nothing, and a short visit of 15 to 20 minutes is enough for the facade and the cross.
• Early morning is quiet and good for photos, while evening light warms the brick and the cafes fill up.
• Parts of the Capitole can be visited inside, but access varies, so check current opening hours before you go.
• The square is a good starting point for the old town, with streets leading toward the Basilica of Saint-Sernin and down toward the Garonne river.

See it on a quest

Toulouse Old Town: Treasure Quest is a good way to see the square as one stop on a longer walk through the old town. You reach each place on foot, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Romantic Toulouse: Parted by War suits you if you prefer a story-led walk with a romantic, wartime theme. You move between places in the city on foot, hear about each one as you get there, and solve puzzles in what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Toulouse turns the streets into a whodunit. You walk from place to place, the app tells you about each one, and you work on the case with puzzles set in the real surroundings. One ticket covers the whole group.