TOULON. 375 TOULOUSE. a handsome reredos. Besides the numerous na- val and military open spaces and grounds (in- cluding the Place d'Armes) in Toulon, there are, in the northern part, two spacious and promi- nent squares — the Place de la Liberte (the finest in the new town) and the Jardin de la Ville, an attractive promenade. The most important avenue of the city — the Boulevard Strasbourg — connects the two squares, and on it are the ^lusee Biblioth&que (a handsome modern Re- naissance edifice) and the immense Marine Hos- pital. The Place d'Armes, to the southeast and near the port, is the main square in the city. The harbor has five principal basins. It con- nects with surrounding bays, which stretch away under hills bristling with forts, and ex- tends past Fort de I'Aiguillette out into the great harbor or roadstead which opens into the sea. The port has an easy access and is well sheltered. The marine arsenal, an im- mense and complete establishment with its buildings, basins, and canals, adjoins the city on the west. It dates from the time of Henry IV., and on an enlarged scale was planned by Vauban. It embraces 650 acres. Over 12,000 men are emploj-ed. Toiilon has a lyccinn, the Ecole Rouvi&re, marine schools, a marine library, a marine bo- tanic garden, and a marine observatory. The leading theatre is a splendid modern edifice con- taining 1800 seats. Shipbuilding, iron and cop- per founding, lace-making, fishing, and viticul- ture are the main industries. The vicinity pro- duces olives and figs. The principal exports are wines, oils, and fruits. In 1899 there entered and cleared 755 vessels of 323,415 tons. The pop- ulation, in 1901, was 101.602. Toulon is the ancient Telo Martins, noted for its dye-works. It was destroyed by the Saracens in 889, and like calamitiesbefell it in the twelfth century. It surrendered to the forces of CHiarles V. in 1524, and also in 1536. Henry IV. and Louis XIV. fortified it. It repelled the allied fleets of England and Holland in 1707. In 1793 it was turned over by the Royalists to the English and their allies. It was thereupon besieged by the forces of the Convention, Is^apolcon Bona- parte gaining there great distinction as com- mander of the artillery. The town was taken in December and its inhabitants were ruthlessly punished. Consult: Teissier, Notice sur les archives commuyiales de la ville de Toulon (Paris, 1863) : Lambert, Histoire de Toulon (Toulon, 1885-90) ; Rozet, Essai siir la climato- lopie de Toulon (Paris, 1890). TOULOUSE, tuio'looz'. A city of France, the former capital of Languedoc, and the present capital of the Department of Haute-Garonne. It is situated 130 miles southeast of Bordeaux (Map: France, H 8). Toulouse lies in a rich valley on the right bank of the navigable Ga- ronne. It is subject to high winds, to floods, and to verj' hot weatlier in sunnner. Three bridges across the river connect the city with the Fau- bourg Saint-Cyprien on the west bank. The noble Pont Neut, a stone bridge of seven arches, dates from 1543. The streets of Toulouse are for the most part narrow, unattractive, and poorly paved. Two wide lines of boulevards, however — the outer one following the canals — divide the city pleasantly from the surrounding suburbs, and many extensive improvements have latterly been begun. On the extreme cast is the Pare du Caousou. In the centre of the town, in the Place du Capitole, stands the 'Capitole,' or town hall. It ilatcs from the sixteenth century, but has re- cently been almost wholly reconstructed. It possesses little architectural merit. The edifice owes its name to the city magistrates, or "Capi- touls,' who ceased to exercise their functions about the time of the French Revolution. It is the seat of the famous Academic des Jeux- Floraux — an ancient literary institution which lends especial renown to the city. These Jeux- Floraux, or Floral Games, which date from 1324, are poetical tournaments, in which the prizes allotted on May 3 of each year consist of flowers of gold and silver. In the 'Capitole' also are an academy of legislation, founded in 1851, and an academy of science, inscriptions, and belles-let- tres, founded in 1640. Xear the "Capitole' are the Municipal Theatre and a square donjon, restored by Viollet-le-Duc. The latter contains the cit3s archives. Farther south is the museum of fine arts, occupying in part an ancient Augustine convent. In this sec- tion of the city is the Cathedral of Saint Etienne — a curious inharmonious edifice belonging to different times and architectural types. In the extreme southern part of the city are the Jardin des Plantes and the Jardin Royal. Here splendid, spacious avenues unite in the sightly Grand Rond, which is decorated with statues. To the west is the Palace of Justice — formerly the Palace of the Parlement, with sev- eral beautiful rooms. In the vicinity stands the statue of Cujas, the great French jurist, a na- tive of Toulouse. Northward is the Church of La Dalbade, whose square tower, splendid Renais- sance portal, and interior merit mention. Prom- inent among the old mansions in the vicinity is the Hotel Lasbordes — a splendid creation of Bachelier, much of whose work is to be seen in Toulouse. Farther north, near the Pont Neuf, is the church of La Daurade. Not far away is the l.vcce, occupying part of the extensive Renais- sance establishment of the merchant Bernuy who guaranteed the ransom of Francis I. after Pavia. In the vicinity is the Protestant church. To the north of the 'Capitole' and connected with it by the Rue du Faur, the most important street in the city, is Saint Sernin — the finest church in Toulouse. It is a superb cruciform Romanesque structure, begun in the eleventh century, and re- stored under Viollet-Ie-Duc. The splendid octag- onal tower rises 210 feet, with tiers of triangular arches. Saint Saturnin, the martyred apostle of Toulouse, is buried here. At the head of the educational institutions stands the university (q.v.). There are a splen- did school of medicine, a school of fine arts, a veterinary college, an observatory, an artillery school, a museum of industrial art and anti- quities, and, in addition, many learned societies which occupy now the splendid Hotel d'Assezat, bequeathed to them in 1896. The city library has 70.000 volumes. Toulouse is a city of wealth and prominence industrially and commercially, owing to its com- manding position in the south of France. The Canal du Midi (q.v.) is here joined by the Canal Lateral, and thus commerce between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean is accommodated by
