Castres is a city known primarily for the Goya Museum located here. A lot of 18th and 19th century buildings and a garden designed by the creator of the Versailles gardens have survived in the center.
The city was built on the ruins of a Roman settlement, and the remains of Roman villas were found in its vicinity during excavations. It was the seat of bishops from the early Middle Ages, and Castres was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. During the French Revolution, the center suffered many damages, including the looting of the cathedral and the demolition of the former Franciscan abbey. Only the tower has survived to this day.
The center of Castres is built up mainly with buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. On the site of the old medieval cathedral, a baroque temple was erected in the 17th century. An important building is the town hall, in the past the seat of bishops, designed by the architect of Versailles, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The surrounding gardens are the work of the creator of Versailles gardens, Andre Le Notre.
The Goya Museum is one of the most important attractions of Castres. It was founded shortly after the painter's death, in 1840. It collects the works of Spanish painters, headed by the works of Francisco Goya. A very picturesque place is the vicinity of the river flowing through the city, with colorful houses standing next to each other, which look as if they were looking at the flowing water.
