This is the most photographed building in Toulouse! Its dome acts as a beacon for the city’s inhabitants, drawing the gaze by day and when it is dressed in lights at night.
The marker of the Saint-Cyprien quarter, La Grave chapel was built around the XVIII Century on a gravel bank left by the River Garonne, which gives it its name.
It was part of the La Grave Hospital, built in 1197 in order to accommodate plague victims. Its consecration to St Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, places the accent on the role it played during the XVII Century at the time of the Great Imprisonment of the poor. It then included numerous workshops designed to train the needy in the skills required to earn a placement with local artisans.
La Grave Chapel is currently closed to the public for a complete renovation that is due to transform it into an exhibitions venue.
