Montauban is a historic city on the Tarn River. The painter Jean Ingres and the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, whose works can be seen in the local museum, came from here.
The city was founded in the early Middle Ages. It was heavily damaged during the Crusades against Albigenses and the Hundred Years' War, and was one of the main Protestant quarters in this part of France during the Reformation. For this reason, it did not recognize the sovereignty of French kings for a long time and was besieged during religious wars.
After the old fortifications of Montauban, practically nothing has survived because they were demolished and in their place riverside boulevards were marked out. A valuable monument is the stone Old Bridge over the Tarn River. Right behind it begins the Old Town centered around the cathedral, where you can admire the works of Ingres. The second most important churches in the city is the 14th-century church of St. James with an octagonal tower.
Montauban's biggest attraction is the local museum, where you can see the largest collection of Jean Ingres' works in France. In addition to them, sculptures by Antoine Bourdelle as well as ancient and medieval monuments are presented here.
