The Churches of Toulouse: Eglise des Jacobins

The churches of Toulouse are fascinating. There's the Cathedral St-Etienne, near Paul's apartment, where you can see layers of history in the architecture. Romanesque meets Gothic in the most bizarre collision of styles. It all began in the 12th century with the vast nave and choir, and was added to over the centuries, concluding with the finishing touch: the northern entrance built in 1929. (According to the informational posterboards mounted at the door, the church's destiny was really decided with the 13th century plan to realign the cathedral along a different axis. Never happened. Now the two, distinct parts of the cathedral are linked with some Gothic vaults.)


But amongst all the beautiful churches of Toulouse, L'eglise des Jacobins takes the cake. From the outside, the red brick seems to glow in the sunshine. Tour groups frantically snap photos of the 13th century belfry, towering into the sky. I don't think I'd ever seen a red church before. Step through the immense wooden door and the grandeur of the interior will take your breath away. Crane your neck towards the ceiling, where the tall columns gracefully, effortlessly bend to create the vaulted ceiling. Here is where Thomas Aquinas is buried. I stopped to look at the altar-- the theologian, and head of the Dominican order, died in 1274-- and remembered studying him in Professor Peter Gomes' religion class at Harvard. As I stood and stared and recalled the Summa Theologiae, I was overwhelmed by history, and struck by how this sense of history, and deep understanding of it, pervades every aspect of French culture.

The stained-glass windows were extraordinary. The colored light danced on the wall in beautiful mosaics.