Restoration of the columns in the main cloister

The City Hall of Toulouse has launched a crowdfunding campaign to restore the columns in the Musée des Augustins cloister, which are deteriorating due to the humidity and pollution.

Toulouse’s inhabitants – both businesses and individuals – are taking part in the campaign to return this 14th-century cloister (the only one fully preserved in south-west France) to its former glory. Sponsors are eligible for a range of benefits as well as a tax break

Visit our crowdfunding campaign on the Fondation du Patrimoine website :

The history of the Convent of Les Augustins

In 1309, Pope Clement V granted the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine permission to build their convent inside the Toulouse city walls. The cloister, right at the centre of the convent, was designed with 160 twin marble columns and eight pillars, topped with sculpted capitals.
Today, it is the only fully preserved 14th-century cloister in a sizeable area of south-west France, but it is showing worrying signs of deterioration.

Threatened heritage soon to be restored

A comprehensive survey of the cloister revealed significant structural problems: leaning columns, deterioration of the stone and colonnades, poor rainwater management, and so on. Toulouse City Hall has planned a major restoration of the cloister, committing to preserving it in its entirety, at a total cost of €5 million.

Work to consolidate and clean the columns and capitals, following protocols approved by a multidisciplinary scientific committee, has been under way since January 2025 to ensure the conservation of this extremely important heritage site. The cost of this restoration work amounts to €880,000.

By visiting the Fondation du Patrimoine website, you can play a part in restoring the cloister’s columns.