The history of Toulouse dates back to the days of the Roman Empire. The Gallic settlement that existed in this place was called Tolosa. The Romans captured it in 106 BC. In the 5th century, Toulouse acquired the status of the capital and became the main city of the Visigoths.
The year 721 is marked in the history of the city by the siege of the Saracens, who, however, failed to do anything. The city was the residence of the Counts of Toulouse and was distinguished by great prosperity. Such a place could not be bypassed by the crusaders, however, their siege in 1217 could not completely break the city. The Huguenot Wars left their mark on the history of Toulouse, as the Catholic League was concentrated here.
In the history of the Peninsular War, Toulouse is listed as the place where Marshal Soult suffered his last defeat.
From the railroad to the road to space
The railway played a great role in the development of the economy of Toulouse. Industry began to develop actively here. Including aviation, but this is no longer the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. Charles de Gaulle helped to ensure that the space industry began to develop here, precisely in the south of the country. The general came at one time to the Baikonur cosmodrome in the USSR to exchange experience.
City architecture
Along with economic development, the development of architecture could not but take place. Today Toulouse is rich in historical monuments: many temples, erected in the Middle Ages, and civil architecture of a later period, dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
Among the temple buildings are the Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Sermen and the Jacobite Church. Of the civilian buildings, the mansions of the merchants are impressive. For some buildings, the history of Toulouse is even traced briefly.
Education
It is noticeable that the city once served as a large religious center, which also served to develop trade. This made Toulouse not only one of the industrial centers of the South of France, but also a significant tourist destination. Education is also developed here, and in terms of the number of students it is second only to Paris. That there is only one Toulouse Observatory, where an asteroid was discovered by one of the astronomers, which was named Toulouse. From that moment on, the city had a kind of "twin brother" in space.
