Hôtel de Bernuy, Renaissance private mansion in Toulouse, France
The Hôtel de Bernuy is a Renaissance mansion in Toulouse featuring two interior courtyards and a tower standing 26.5 meters (87 feet) tall with seven corner windows. The building combines Gothic and Renaissance elements through its distinctive use of brick and stone that sets it apart from other structures in the city.
The mansion was built between 1503 and 1536 under Louis Privat and later belonged to Spanish merchant Jean de Bernuy, who built his wealth through the pastel trade. This commerce brought tremendous prosperity to Toulouse during the Renaissance period.
The mansion shows how Renaissance ideas changed local building practices through its mix of brick and stone construction. These materials became the signature way builders worked in Toulouse, reflecting both Spanish and French influences in the city's architecture.
The property now houses a school and is not openly accessible to visitors; tours must be arranged in advance through the Toulouse tourist office. It's best to contact them beforehand to check when visits can be scheduled.
The Renaissance courtyards feature tall candelabra columns topped with Corinthian capitals, which introduced a completely novel architectural vocabulary to the city. This style of columns had never been seen before in Toulouse and is often overlooked despite being the space's most striking artistic innovation.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
