Hotel d'Assezat and Bemberg Foundation, Toulouse (must see)

Pierre Assézat needed a house. He needed a Hotel, a mansion. he was a wealthy merchant at the top of his profession and society. He wanted his mansion convenient to The Merchant Exchange because he was one of the founders of the Exchange. The Hotel was completed in 1562. Pierre died 1n 1581. The Hotel is now owned by the City of Toulouse.

The building is L-shaped, set beside the staircase pavilion. The facades have Doric, Corinthian, and Ionic columns on each floor. The doric pilasters at the front gate sparkle with diamond shaped stones. The pilasters by the mullioned windows are fluted. All in all the designers and builders created an edifice of power and delicacy.

Starting in 1994, The Bemberg Foundation Art Gallery has made its home in the Hotel d'Asezat. The Gallery shows the collection of Wealthy Argentine Georges Bemberg (1915-2011). The collection has paintings, Drawings, Sketches, sculptures, antique books and furniture. French impressionism and fauvism expressions form the bulk of the collection.