Basilique Notre-Dame de la Daurade

The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Daurade catches the light with its neoclassical facade, distinct from the surrounding red brick of Toulouse. Its name comes from the gold leaf that once covered the mosaics in its fifth century predecessor, a temple dedicated to Apollo. In the early nineteenth century, the current structure replaced a medieval church that had fallen into ruin. Local sailors and river workers have long prayed here to a Black Madonna, seeking protection for their journeys along the Garonne.