Place Roger Salengro: A Historic Toulouse Plaza

Place Roger Salengro, situated near the Place du Capitole in Toulouse, offers a glimpse into the city's history and architectural charm. This triangular plaza was created between 1847 and 1849 through the demolition of several houses between the Rue Saint-Pantaléon and Rue de la Barutte. The plaza is named after Roger Salengro (1890-1936), a prominent socialist politician who served as Minister of the Interior in Léon Blum's Popular Front government in 1936. Salengro's life was marked by both political achievement and tragedy; he endured harsh treatment as a prisoner of war during World War I and later faced a smear campaign by the far-right, ultimately leading to his suicide. The architecture surrounding Place Roger Salengro showcases bourgeois facades from the 19th century, with a variety of colors including traditional brick, ochre plaster, and white facades reminiscent of stone. The Saint-Pantaléon fountain, designed by sculptor Lavigne and cast by the Val d'Osne foundries between 1851 and 1852, is a notable feature of the plaza. The fountain consists of a pedestal adorned with four tritons blowing into horns, a large basin supporting two birds amidst reeds, and a second shell-shaped basin topped by a draped nymph.