Cathedral of Sainte Cecile, Albi, France

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	Cathedral of Sante Cecile
Designer	Cesar Daly
Location	Albi, France
Date	1282 to 1480
Building Type	Cathedral
Construction System	bearing masonry
Climate	Warm Temperate
Context	Village Context
Architectural Style	Gothic
Street Address	Near Place du Vigan
Notes	with Alphonse Potdevin

1 Images
2 Discussion
- 2.1 Related Content from Wikipedia
3 Maps
4 References
5 External Links

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Building Details
Client	Catholic Church
Height	78 meters (256 feet)
Length	113.5 meters (372 feet)
Width	35 meters ( feet)

"Fortified with ramparts and parapets, construction on Ste-Cecile Cathedral began in 1282 by the lord-bishop of Albi. It was built as a defensive fortress and statement of strength after the Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229), waged by the Catholic Church against the Cathars and the count of Toulouse. Construction on the cathedral was not fully completed until 1480.

"Notable exterior features of Albi's Cathedral include the rich portal of Dominique de Florence (c.1392), the 78-meter-tall dungeon tower (finished in 1492)), and the baldaquin of the entryway (1515-1540)." – Sacred Destinations

[edit] Related Content from Wikipedia

Albi Cathedral

thumb|The cathedral's nave and organ

Albi Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi) is the most important religious building in Albi, southern France. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Albi (in full, Albi-Castres-Lavaur).

History

The present cathedral was preceded by other buildings. The first dated from the fourth century and in 666 was destroyed by fire. The second is recorded in 920 by the name of Saint Cecilia, the present-day patroness of musicians. It was replaced in the thirteenth century by a Romanesque cathedral in stone.the municipal park in the town of Rochegude has some remains of its cloister arcade

The Gothic cathedral which we see today was constructed in brick between 1282 to 1480 in the wake of the Albigensian heresy and the brutal crusade which suppressed it, with great loss of life. In the aftermath of the bloodshed, the cathedral's dominant presence and fortress-like exterior were intended to convey the power and authority of the Christian faith.

Features

The cathedral is built in the Southern Gothic Style. Notable architectural features include the bell-tower (added in 1492), which stands 78 meters tall, and the doorway by Dominique de Florence (added circa 1392).

The elaborate interior stands in stark contrast to the cathedral's military exterior. The central chœur, reserved for members of the religious order, is surrounded by a roodscreen with detailed filigree stone work and a group of polychrome statues. Below the organ, a fresco of the Last Judgement, attributed to unknown Flemish painters, originally covered nearly 200 m² (the central area was later removed). The frescoes on the enormous vaulted ceiling comprise the largest and oldest ensemble of Italian Renaissance painting in France.

|center|thumb|300px|Choir and rood screen of the cathedral

The cathedral organ, the work of the artist Christophe Moucherel, dates from the 18th century.