City Hall, Toulouse

Interior courtyard, the Henri IV courtyard and gate; Capitole de Toulouse is the seat of the municipal administration of the French city of Toulouse. The Capitouls (governing magistrates) of Toulouse embarked on the construction of the original building in 1190, to provide a seat for the government of a province growing in wealth and influence. The name "Capitole" referred not only to the Roman Capitol but also to the capitulum which was the chapter of the governing magistrates. In the 20th century, the structures surrounding the vast (2 hectares) Place du Capitole were redesigned. Some of the interior of the Capitole can be traced back to the 16th century, but the current façade, 135 metres long and built of the characteristic pink brick in Neoclassical style, dates from 1750, built according to plans by Guillaume Cammas. The eight columns represent the original eight capitouls. Only the Henri IV courtyard and gate survive from the original medieval buildings. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 5/12/2011