Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau, Railway station in central Toulouse, France
Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau is a railway station in central Toulouse whose passenger building, designed by Marius Toudoire and built in Saintonge stone between 1903 and 1905, has a long symmetrical facade. A domed corner pavilion with a slate roof and lantern stands at one end, and a central pavilion with a curved pediment and clock rises above mansard roofs with dormer windows. The 26 coats of arms of Midi destinations are carved on the front of the building.
The station first opened in 1856 and was completely rebuilt between 1903 and 1905 under architect Marius Toudoire. Stone materials from the Roman city of Saintes were used during this major reconstruction.
Matabiau comes from the Occitan mata buòu, "kill the bull". A popular legend says the bull that caused the death of Saturnin, Toulouse's first bishop, was killed here around 250 AD; in fact the name more likely comes from the city slaughterhouses once on this spot.
Elevators serve platforms 8 through 11, and the station connects directly to the Toulouse Metro system for onward travel. Visitors should allow time to navigate the multiple levels and passageways to find their platform.
The station's facade was rebuilt using stone from a Roman city, giving it materials with ancient origins. This reuse of classical materials makes it an unusual example of early 20th-century railway architecture.
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