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The Basilica of Sainte Cecile dominates Albi's skyline with an awe-inspiring presence. The splendor of its workmanship, its thousand years of history, and it's sheer size all contribute to the magic of a visitor's first glimpse of this wonder.
Interesting Facts:
The Cathedral took two centuries to build -- from 1282 to 1480.
She is one of the most visited edifices in France.
She is the largest brick building in the world.
Built by Christian loyalists as a defense against the Cathare Heresy starting in the 13th century, the cathedral is a masterpiece of meridional gothic architecture. One can easily see that she was originally intended to be a fortress.
The contrast between the sober simplicity of the exterior and the sumptuous decoration and detail inside is remarkable.
On the exterior, one can admire the rich portique of Dominique de Florence (circa 1392), the dungeon tower 78 meters tall (finished in 1492, just after the inauguration of the building itself in 1480), and the baldaquin of the entryway (1515-1540).
Amongst the noteworthy features of the interior, the most impressive is perhaps the gigantic mural of the Last Judgement, painted by unknown Flemish artists around 1475-1480. During the same period, French sculptors were completing the Jube and Choir, an ensemble of finely sculpted pierre that includes a magnificent set of polychrome statues.
The frescos on the cathedral's arched ceiling form the largest (97 meters long by 28 meters wide) work of Italian Renaissance painting to be found anywhere in France.
Finally, the classical French organ, built by Christophe Moucherel in 1736 is considered one of the three finest in France.