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Toulouse

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Toulouse is a major city located in southern France.

Capitole et croix occitane
Capitole et croix occitane

It serves as the prefecture for the Haute-Garonne department. It is also the capital of the Occitania region. This region is the second largest in Metropolitan France. The city sits on the banks of the River Garonne.

Garonne from Pont St Pierre in Toulouse
Garonne from Pont St Pierre in Toulouse

It lies on a vital axis of communication. This route connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees mountains are about 80 km away.

Toulouse - vue sur les Pyrénées
Toulouse - vue sur les Pyrénées

In clear weather, you can see the mountains from the city.

Geography and climate define the daily life in Toulouse. The city is traversed by several waterways. These include the Garonne, the Touch, and the Hers-Mort rivers. There are also several canals like the Canal du Midi.

Toulouse - Garonne et Pont Neuf
Toulouse - Garonne et Pont Neuf

The climate is classified as humid subtropical. This is known as the Cfa type in the Köppen system. Because there is too much rain in the summer, it is not a Mediterranean climate. The city is a central point for trade. This has been true since at least the Iron Age. The Garonne Valley connects the Pyrenees to the sea.

Toulouse is a global leader in the aerospace industry. It is the heart of European flight technology.

Toulouse Siège Airbus
Toulouse Siège Airbus

The headquarters of Airbus are located here. Other major companies include ATR and Safran. Many firms like Thales Alenia Space and Collins Aerospace also have a presence. The city hosts the Toulouse Space Centre (CST). This is the largest national space centre in Europe.

Commandement de l'espace France
Commandement de l'espace France

The French Space Command and Space Academy are also based here. The air route between Toulouse–Blagnac and Paris is the busiest in France. In 2019, it carried 3.2 million passengers.

The history of the city spans many eras. It was founded by the Romans as a military outpost.

Enceinte gallo-romaine - Toulouse - PA00094679
Enceinte gallo-romaine - Toulouse - PA00094679

The Romans moved the city to the Garonne banks for better trade. In the 5th century, it became the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom.

Reino de los visigodos-en
Reino de los visigodos-en

Later, it was the capital of the Languedoc province. During the Renaissance, the woad trade brought great wealth.

Pastel pigment cocagnes et feuilles - Muséum du pastel
Pastel pigment cocagnes et feuilles - Muséum du pastel

Woad was a plant used to make blue dye. This was the only source of blue dye in Europe at the time. The city's architecture is unique. It uses pinkish terracotta bricks. This earned it the nickname "The Pink City."

Education is a vital part of the city's identity. The University of Toulouse was founded in 1229. This makes it one of the oldest universities in Europe.

Université de Toulouse
Université de Toulouse

There are many prestigious schools for aerospace engineering. These schools help make Toulouse a major center for science. The city is the fourth-largest student city in France. Nearly 140,000 students live and study here. This large population makes the city very dynamic. It is considered the most dynamic city in France.

Toulouse contains several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Canal du Midi was designated in 1996.

Toulouse - Garonne et Pont Neuf
Toulouse - Garonne et Pont Neuf

The Basilica of St. Sernin is another important site. It was designated in 1998. It is the largest remaining Romanesque building in Europe.

Toulouse - Jacobins et ND du Taur
Toulouse - Jacobins et ND du Taur

The Basilica and the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques are part of a pilgrimage route. This route is the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. These sites show the deep cultural history of the region.

Today, Toulouse is a large and growing metropolitan area. In 2022, the population was 1,513,396 inhabitants. Within the municipal boundaries, there are 514,819 people.

Capitole et croix occitane
Capitole et croix occitane

Between 2014 and 2020, it was the third fastest growing metropolitan area in France. This growth is larger than 500,000 inhabitants. The city remains a central hub for administration and science. It connects its long history to the future of space and flight. This makes Toulouse a unique place in Europe.

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🖼️ Images & Media (35)
File:Toulouse - vue sur les Pyrénées.jpg
Toulouse - vue sur les Pyrénées.jpg
File:Garonne from Pont St Pierre in Toulouse.jpg
Garonne from Pont St Pierre in Toulouse.jpg
File:Enceinte_gallo-romaine_-_Toulouse_-_PA00094679.jpg
Enceinte_gallo-romaine_-_Toulouse_-_PA00094679.jpg
File:Liénard de Lachieze Missel romain copié en 1492 - Martyre de saint Saturnin de Toulouse - Détail.jpg
Liénard de Lachieze Missel romain copié...
File:Reino de los visigodos-en.svg
Reino de los visigodos-en.svg
File:Raymond IV of Toulouse.jpg
Raymond IV of Toulouse.jpg
File:La_chambre_de_Saint_Dominique_(maison_Seilhan)_-_panoramio.jpg
La_chambre_de_Saint_Dominique_(maison_Seil...
File:Couvent des Jacobins de Toulouse - Autel de St Thomas d'Aquin.jpg
Couvent des Jacobins de Toulouse - Autel...
File:Détail_Annales_1413.jpg
Détail_Annales_1413.jpg
File:Salle des illustres 12.JPG
Salle des illustres 12.JPG
File:Parliaments and Sovereign Councils of the Kingdom of France in 1789 (fr).png
Parliaments and Sovereign Councils of the...
File:Pastel pigment cocagnes et feuilles - Muséum du pastel.jpg
Pastel pigment cocagnes et feuilles -...

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