Notre-Dame de la Daurade

The convent of the Jacobins of Toulouse is composed of a church (Church of the Jacobins), a cloister, a chapter house, a refectory and a chapel (Chapelle Saint-Antonin). It was built by the Order of Friars Preachers in 1230 to counter the influence of the Cathar heresy. These buildings entirely in brick are considered a perfect example of Languedoc Gothic art. In these buildings, was established the old University of Toulouse (1229-1793) until its suppression to the French Revolution.

The church Notre-Dame de la Dalbade is located rue de la Dalbade in the district of the Carmes in Toulouse. It should not be confused with the basilica of the Daurade on the quay of the same name. Its current name comes from the old church which preceded it and which was covered with a white plaster (lime), giving it the name of Santa Maria dealbata (Sainte-Marie la blanche). The present building, rather austere on the outside, is typical of southern Gothic architecture. The first church stood from 541 to the end of the 15th century on the site of the first oratory. It was destroyed by fire on October 27, 1442 along with the rest of the district. In spite of its disappearance, the current name of the Dalbade (which derives from the dealbata) is preserved.

The construction of the church began in 1602; the Carthusian brothers, driven out of the Carthusian monastery of Notre-Dame de Bellevue de Saïx (near Castres) by the Protestants, decided to build a monastery within the walls of Toulouse. After the fall of the first dome in 1609, the building was raised. The church was consecrated by Cardinal François de Sourdis on 20 May 1612. After the Revolution, the monks are expelled and the convent is transformed into an arsenal. Only the church, the former pharmacy, parts of the hotel (including a remarkable brick exterior corridor) and part of the cloister remain today. In 2001, the shock wave caused by the explosion of the AZF factory in the south of the town shook the walls of the church, forcing reinforcement work to be carried out. Some superficial cracks due to this episode are still visible. The church was first of all dedicated to the Virgin and to Saint Paul of Thebes, one of the first hermits and an important figure for the Carthusian monks.