Chapelle Saint Joseph de la Grave

I was at a picturesque area in the city of Toulouse along the River Garonne. There was a large cathedral like building just across the river and it seemed to be a very important building. This was the Chapelle Saint Joseph de la Grave. The building features in various pictures of Toulouse since it is considered one of the symbols of the city. The Chapelle Saint Joseph de la Grave can’t be mentioned without saying something about the hospital which was originally attached to it. There used to be a large hospital here but that wasn’t what it was known for. The hospital was known for caring for people who were affected by the plague which was ravaging Europe at that time.

The plague was so bad that the hospital had to be enlarged to accommodate more patients. The chapel is the place of refuge for the relatives of people who were afflicted by the plague. Ultimately all of the patients died and, people, those that can, started leaving Toulouse. Although nothing is left of the original hospital, the chapel remains. It has a cathedral like feel to it with the huge dome which towers over the city (Toulouse is a very flat city). As a result, the chapel is considered to be the most photographed building in Toulouse. I would have loved to go in the chapel but it didn’t seem to be open.

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