Some members of the family were chairman of Carcassonne's Présidial (court), judge, member of the Languedoc's parliament. The Murat counted among the part of French nobility open to new ideas and modernism. We don't forget the 18th century was the Century of Lights ! But the Murat got all their titles in 1781, only a few years before the Revolution. Not the best time to become a noble !

These new noble persons possessed a very rich library with more than 2000 volumes which were acquired by the Town Library during the Revolution. The family emigrated and all their possession were seized in 1792.

A large part of the furniture from that time is still on the spot, in the Grand Salon which shelters among others Aubusson's tapestries from the 18th century.

The hôtel became in 1806 the Bishop's Palace, when the bishop came down from the Cité ! It was the seat of ecclesiastic authorities until 1906.

 

Then the Chamber of COmmerce and Industry settled in the building and is still there nowadays.

The most visible part of the hôtel is the classical façade on the courtyard. It has very nice iron balconies, and a sober and well balanced aspect.