Sainte-Cecile Cathedral of Albi — Attraction in Albi

The most beautiful Cathedral of France ... Indeed, one can only be impressed by this brick nave ! But the sensation is even stronger once inside.

This masterpiece of Southern Gothic heritage was built between 1282 and 1480 to signify the return of papal power to Cathar lands. It remains today the largest brick cathedral in the world. Its striking pink brick silhouette and its immense 78-meter-high bell tower, a watchtower overlooking the region, in the heart of old Albi, often earn it a comparison to a fortified castle. When it was built, it was part of the city's defensive system, incorporating the Berbie Palace, and could then accommodate 6,000 Albi residents in case of danger. From the Middle Ages, it has preserved the fresco of the Last Judgment, which originally covered over 200 square meters, depicting Heaven, Earth, and Hell. The vault frescoes form the largest and oldest collection in France, measuring 97 m long and 28 m wide. It remains the only cathedral in Europe whose walls and vaults are entirely painted over an area covering nearly 18,500 m2. The rood screen, in the flamboyant Gothic style, is adorned with magnificent polychrome statuary, a unique example of 15th-century French sculpture. The treasure room, housed in a former 13th-century vault, displays a collection of sacred art objects from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and objects of worship. Finally, Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music, would not have a sanctuary without this monumental...

What can you say about this most imposing yet beautiful of cathedrals? The plain Tolosian pink brick exterior - built as a fortress to intimidate the Cathar supporters - belies the intricate beauty inside where every surface is decorated to a point that you have to just sit down to try and take it all in. And that is what you can do - it is free to enter the eastern half of the cathedral. The western half - similarly decorated but less busy, and one for the fans of impressive sculptures of the time, is a small fee, and also contains the treasures on an upper floor. Not necessary to enjoy the cathedral, but if you like completeness. The choir is stunning though, and reminiscent of York Minster, but taken up a notch. The only hint of this on the outside is the main entrance, whose portico feels like a mini cathedral in itself. If Notre Dame had fallen down before Victor Hugo built it up again, then Quasimodo would have felt very at home here, at least the Disney version anyway… Finally, we have to mention the organ - one of the biggest in France and uniquely decorated with the queues for Heaven and Hell. Very Dutch in form, and something to marvel at. I’m a big fan of European cathedrals, and Albi is in my top three. Not to be missed, if you are at least within 100km of it. The authentic winding streets and high views over the river as you make your way there add to the...

The Gothic Cathédrale Ste-Cécile of Albi, built in the 13th century in the heart of Cathar country, is the largest brick building in the world. Perched high on a hill above the River Tarn, it looks more like a fortress than a cathedral - and that's no accident.

Although the architectural style of Albi Cathedral is Gothic, it has none of the delicate stonework or wall of glass that characterize the style in northern France. Instead it is made of solid brick (a material both cheaper and faster to use than stone) with modest lancet windows. It features solid rounded buttresses, which were probably inspired by existing fortifications around the Bishop's Palace (late 1200s and still standing).

The cathedral's great mass culminates at the west end in a great tiered belfry (1355-66), rising 78 meters into the sky. The tower is roughly square with rounded buttresses at the corner; each tier supported by a rounded quarter-arch and decorated with a quatrefoil railing. At the top is a newer octagonal portion (1485-92). The tower is nearly as wide as the nave, which has no side aisles. Viewed from the west, the cathedral looks a bit like a great...