La Cathédrale Sainte Cécile d'Albi

Albi cathedral is a masterpiece of southern Gothic. It was begun in 1282 by the bishop and inquisitor Bernard de Castanet, who intended to set a vast preaching space against the persistence of the Cathar heresy. The great sobriety of the main structure built of brick in the 14th century and the severity of the enormous keep-tower contrast with the flamboyant luxuriance of the entrance canopy and with an exceptionally rich interior decoration. The treasury of Sainte-Cécile has recently opened.

Sainte-Cécile cathedral in Albi is the seat of the archdiocese of Albi, in the Tarn. It is built on a rocky peak overlooking the Tarn. Two centuries were needed for its construction, from 1282 to 1480. The building surprises by the contrast between its austere military-fortress outer look and the pictorial and sculptural richness of its interior.

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