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Albi (; oc, Albi ) is a commune in southern France. It is the
prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...
of the Tarn
department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
, on the river Tarn, 85 km northeast of Toulouse. Its inhabitants are called ''Albigensians'' (french: Albigeois, Albigeoise(s), oc, albigés -esa(s)). It is the seat of the
Archbishop of Albi The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Albi (–Castres–Lavaur) (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Albiensis (–Castrensis–Vauriensis)''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Albi (–Castres–Lavaur)''), usually referred to simply as the Archdiocese of Albi, is a ...
. The episcopal city, around the Cathedral Sainte-Cécile, was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2010 for its unique architecture. The site includes the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, dedicated to the artist who was born in Albi.


Administration

Albi is the seat of four
cantons A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such as counties, departments, or provinces. Internationally, t ...
, covering 16 communes, with a total population of 72,416 (2019).


History

The first human settlement in Albi was in the Bronze Age (3000–600 BC). After the Roman conquest of Gaul in 51 BC, the town became ''Civitas Albigensium'', the territory of the Albigeois, ''Albiga''.
Archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
digs have not revealed any traces of Roman buildings, which seems to indicate that Albi was a modest Roman settlement. In 584, Gregory of Tours reports that the majority of the townsfolk died from
plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
. In 1040, Albi expanded and constructed the ''Pont Vieux'' (Old Bridge). New quarters were built, indicative of considerable urban growth. The city grew rich at this time, thanks to trade and commercial exchanges, and also to the tolls charged to travelers for using the Pont Vieux. In 1208, the Pope and the French king joined forces to combat the Cathars, who had developed their own version of ascetic Christian dualism, and so a heresy considered dangerous by the dominant Catholic Church. Repression was severe, and many Cathars were burnt at the stake throughout the region. The area, until then virtually independent, was reduced to such a condition that it was subsequently annexed by the French Crown. After the upheaval of the
Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crown ...
against the Cathars, the bishop Bernard de Castanet, in the late 13th century, completed work on the Palais de la Berbie, a Bishops' Palace with the look of a fortress. He ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile starting in 1282. The town enjoyed a period of commercial prosperity largely due to the cultivation of ''Isatis Tinctoria'', commonly known as woad. The fine houses built during the Renaissance bear witness to the vast fortunes amassed by the pastel merchants. Albi had a small Jewish community during medieval times, until it was annihilated in the 1320s Shepherds' Crusade. Afterwards, Jews were only allowed to transit the town by payment, without living in it. In 1967, approximately 70 Jews lived in Albi, most of them of North-African origin. Albi has conserved its rich architectural heritage which encapsulates the various brilliant periods of its history. Considerable improvement and restoration work has been done, to embellish the old quarters and to give them a new look, in which brick reigns supreme.


Main sights

Albi was built around the original cathedral and episcopal group of buildings. This historic area covers 63 hectares. Red brick and tiles are the main feature of most of the edifices. Along with Toulouse and Montauban, Albi is one of the main cities built in Languedoc-style red brick. Among the buildings of the town is the Sainte Cécile cathedral, a masterpiece of the Southern Gothic style, built between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is characterised by a strong contrast between its austere, defensive exterior and its sumptuous interior decoration. Built as a statement of the Christian faith after the upheavals of the Cathar heresy, this gigantic brick structure was embellished over the centuries: the ''Dominique de Florence'' Doorway, the 78 m high bell tower, the Baldaquin over the entrance (1515–1540). The
rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
is a filigree work in stone in the Flamboyant Gothic style. It is decorated with a magnificent group of polychrome statuary carved by artists from the
Burgundian Burgundian can refer to any of the following: *Someone or something from Burgundy. *Burgundians, an East Germanic tribe, who first appear in history in South East Europe. Later Burgundians colonised the area of Gaul that is now known as Burgundy (F ...
workshops of Cluny and comprising over 200 statues, which have retained their original colours. Older than the '' Palais des Papes'' in
Avignon Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...
, the ''Palais de la Berbie'', formerly the Bishops'
Palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
of Albi, now the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, is one of the oldest and best-preserved castles in France. This imposing fortress was completed at the end of the 13th century. Its name comes from the
Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...
word ''Bisbia'', meaning Bishops' Palace. The Old Bridge (''Pont Vieux'') is still in use after almost a millennium. Originally built in stone (in 1035), then clad with brick, it rests on eight arches and is 151 m long. In the 14th century, it was fortified and reinforced with a drawbridge, and houses were built on the piers. Albi is a city known for its elite ''Lycée Lapérouse'', a high school with 500 students situated inside an old monastery. It has several advanced literature classes. Furthermore, it is one of the few holding a full-scale music section with special high-tech rooms for this section. The Pacific explorer
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (; variant spelling: ''La Pérouse''; 23 August 17411788?), often called simply Lapérouse, was a French naval officer and explorer. Having enlisted at the age of 15, he had a successful naval caree ...
is commemorated in the museum. Located in an ancient mill (41 rue Porta), the Le LAIT Art Centre is a research laboratory dedicated to contemporary art.


Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum houses more than 1000 works, including 31 famous posters. This body of work forms the largest public collection in the world devoted to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who was born in Albi in 1864.


World Heritage Site

UNESCO's World Heritage Centre notes the Old Bridge (Pont-Vieux), the Saint-Salvi quarter, the quarter's church, the fortified cathedral (late 13th century) in unique southern French Gothic style from local brick, the bishop's Palais de la Berbie, and residential quarters, which help the Episcopal City of Albi form a "coherent and homogeneous ensemble of monuments and quarters that has remained largely unchanged over the centuries... a complete built ensemble representative of a type of urban development in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day."


Transport

Albi is served by two railway stations on the line from Toulouse to Rodez: *
Gare d'Albi-Ville Albi-Ville is a railway station in Albi, Occitanie Occitanie may refer to: *Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French *Occitania (administrative region) Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Oc ...
*
Gare d'Albi-Madeleine Albi-Madeleine station ( French: ''Gare d'Albi-Madeleine'') is a railway station in Albi, Occitanie, France. The original station opened in 1857 and the current station opened in 1899. It is on the Toulouse to Rodez railway line, and is served b ...
The A68 motorway connects Albi with Toulouse (and Lyon N 88, future motorway).


Sport

* SC Albi – The city's rugby union team competing in the second-level
Rugby Pro D2 Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Rugby Pro D2 was in ...
. *
RC Albi Racing Club Albi XIII originally called Racing Club Albigeois XIII and more recently also known as Albi Tigers are a semi-professional rugby league team based in Albi in the Occitanie region in southern France. Formed in 1934 the club compete in ...
– A rugby league team that compete in the Elite One Championship. *
US Albi Union Sportive Albigeoise is a French association football team founded in 1912. They are based in Albi, Midi-Pyrénées, France and are currently playing in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group C. They play at the Stade Maurice Rigaud in Al ...
– A Union Sports Football Club established in 1912 in Albi playing the Regional 2 Level. * Albi held Stage 13 of the
2007 Tour de France The 2007 Tour de France the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 to 29 July. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain. It was ...
. The stage was a individual time trial which started and finished in the city. * Albi was the finish of Stage 10 of the
2019 Tour de France The 2019 Tour de France was the 106th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours. The -long race consisted of 21 race stage, stages, starting in the Belgian capital of Brussels on 6 July, before movi ...
on Mon 15 July. There was a rest day at Albi on the 16th and Albi was the start of stage 11 to Toulouse On Weds 18 July. * Albi was the finish of Stage 5 of the
2023 Tour de France Femmes The 2023 Tour de France Femmes, (officially Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift), will be the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes. The race is scheduled for 23 to 30 July 2023, and will be the 21st race in the 2023 UCI Women's World Tour c ...
avec Zwift on Thursday, 27 July. The winner of the stage was
Ricarda Bauernfeind Ricarda Bauernfeind (born 1 April 2000) is a German professional road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's Continental Team . Major results ;2018 : 3rd Road race, National Junior Road Championships ;2021 : 3rd Road race, National Road ...
(Germany) of Team Canyon/Sram Racing. Bauernfeind was riding in her Tour debut. * Circuit d'Albi, a motor racing circuit used for national racing surrounding Albi's airport.


Education

*
École des mines d'Albi-Carmaux The École des Mines d'Albi (officially ''École Nationale Supérieure des Mines d'Albi-Carmaux'', also known as ''EMAC'' or ''Mines Albi'', ex-''ENSTIMAC'') was created in 1993. It is a French engineering school (i.e. Grandes écoles) part of ...
*
Jean-François Champollion University Center for Teaching and Research The National University Institute Jean-Francois Champollion (''Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion''), formerly known as Jean-Francois Champollion University Center for Teaching and Research (''Centre universitaire de form ...


Climate

Albi experiences a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
( Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') bordering
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(''Cfb''). Like much of southwestern France, the summers tend to be warmer and the winters milder than most areas of similar classification. Substantial summer rainfall prevents its climate from being classified as Mediterranean.


Population


Twin towns – sister cities

Albi is twinned with: * Girona, Spain * Palo Alto, United States * Randwick, Australia


Notable people

*
Antoinette de Saliès Antoinette de Salvan de Saliès (1639 – June 13, 1730, Salies) was a French writer and feminist. Early years Antoinette de Salvan was born in Albi, in 1639; she was baptized November 27, 1639. Her nickname was "the little muse of Albi". She m ...
(1639–1730), writer, feminist *
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (; variant spelling: ''La Pérouse''; 23 August 17411788?), often called simply Lapérouse, was a French naval officer and explorer. Having enlisted at the age of 15, he had a successful naval caree ...
(1741 – c. 1788), Pacific explorer * Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901), painter, caricaturist, illustrator * Pierre Benoit (1886–1962), novelist, screenwriter


Gallery

(Albi) Eglise Sainte-Marie-Madeleine vue du premier niveau du Palais épiscopal.jpg, St-Madeleine Church, Albi Albi Sainte-Cécile.JPG, Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile Albi Cathedral Choir (7160566080).jpg, The choir of the cathedral Sainte-cecile albi jugement dernier.JPG, In the cathedral, paintings of the Last Judgement France Albi cloitre Saint Salvy.jpg, Collégiale Saint-Salvi, the oldest church in Albi, dedicated to Saint Salvius Albi - Façade hôtel Reynès.jpg, Hôtel Reynès (Renaissance) (Albi)_Maison_Enjalbert_Albi_XVI°_siècle_MériméePA00095478.jpg, Maison Enjalbert (Renaissance) (Albi) Le Tarn vu du vieux pont vers l'ouest.jpg, Tarn river in Albi (Albi) Palais de la Berbie - Jardin ancienne place d'arme.jpg Albi - Berges du Tarn (1).jpg, Banks of the Tarn river Albi - Berges du Tarn (2).jpg, Banks of the Tarn river (Albi) Palais de la Berbie, depuis le Vieux Pont.jpg (Albi) North views of the Ste Cécile Cathedral.jpg Albi.jpg, Map of Albi, 1914


See also

* Lion and Sun * Tourism in Tarn


References


External links


Official website
(in French)
Tourist Office of Albi
– Article from the Catholic Encyclopedia 1908
Albi
(in English)
Detailed description of the Madeleine Church of Albi
{{Authority control Communes of Tarn (department) Prefectures in France World Heritage Sites in France Jewish French history Judaism in France Languedoc Cities in Occitania (administrative region)