Toulouse: the dome of La Grave is getting a makeover for this summer
The restored and enhanced dome will host this summer a place of memory of the historic and hospital site of La Grave in Toulouse, which will be able to host various events: exhibitions, small concerts. It will eventually fit into the future Cité des Arts de la Grave.
The dome of La Grave, an emblematic site of Toulouse, got rid of the exterior scaffolding that had decorated it for several months. Only those on the rue du Pont-Saint-Pierre side remain. After several months of spectacular work, the most photographed monument in Toulouse, a veritable heritage postcard, is getting a makeover.
“We are coming to the end”, comments Annette Laigneau, deputy mayor of Toulouse in charge of town planning and heritage, “for the exterior, it will be finished at the end of this month of March. The scenographic installation inside is scheduled for May June 2022”.
The municipal and metropolitan elected official continues and specifies: “The roof is 50% completed, the interior floors are being finished, a third of the ambulatory is completed, the exterior joinery is in progress, as is the restoration of interior and furnishings.
9.5 million euros of works
The former church of the Saint-Joseph de la Grave hospice, still owned by the CHU, benefits from a transfer of management for the benefit of the local community, Toulouse Métropole, which finances the exterior and interior enhancement of the building. , valued at 9.5 million euros.
Eventually, this summer, the former deconsecrated chapel will host “a place of memory of the site open to the public, which will also be able to host various specific events (exhibitions, small concerts)”, according to Annette Laigneau. An interpretation trail that will allow visitors to discover this monument and the hospital history of Toulouse.
The Grave dome culminates at 56 m in height, the equivalent of fifteen floors, and covers 1,000 square meters of floor space. It houses 3,000 m2 of decorations painted or sculpted on the brick. The building was originally to be framed by two wings which were never built. The construction of the chapel dates back to the 18th century, interrupted by the Revolution. It was completed in the 19th century with the dome giving it the silhouette we know today.