Toulouse : Church Notre-Dame-de-la-Daurade

Archaeological remains of the 6th century. The original church, where Rigonde, the daughter of Chilpéric, would have taken refuge in 584, was named Santa Maria Deaurata because of the golden mosaics which adorned the walls of the old decagon. This decor, described in the 17th century by the monk Odon de la Mothe, was destroyed in 1761. During the Carolingian period, the Daurade was designated as a Benedictine "monasterium". In 1077, the monastery became a Clunisian priory affiliated with Moissac. At that time, a nave was added, and the apse occupied the previous rotunda, with a cloister on the south side. In the 17th century, the Congregation of Saint-Maur was established here and restored monastic buildings. The first plans of the new church were made by the architect Frankish in 1764. After an interruption of the work, they resumed in 1773 with a new architect, Philippe Hardy. New renovations are undertaken under Napoleon, leading to the consecration of the church in 1838. In 1884, a colonnade and a pediment were built, with decorations painted by Bénézet. The basilica adopts a Latin cross plan with a deep choir and semi-circular transepts. In terms of elevation, the building is characterized by arcatures separated by imposing square pillars, accentuated by Corinthian pilasters. A dome vault rises in the center, while the choir is surmounted by half a couple.