Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi
| Cathedral of Saint Cecilia of Albi Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi |
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View of Albi Cathedral
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Place Sainte-Cécile, Albi, France 
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| Geographic coordinates | 43°55′43″N 2°08′35″E / 43.928492°N 2.142945°ECoordinates: 43°55′43″N 2°08′35″E / 43.928492°N 2.142945°E |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of Albi |
| Region | Midi-Pyrénées |
| Country | France |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Jean Legrez |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | French Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1282 |
| Completed | 1480 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 113,5 m (372,4 ft) |
| Width | 35 m (114,8 ft) |
| Height (max) | 78 m (255,9 ft) |
| Materials | red brick |
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Cecilia (French: Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi), also known as Albi Cathedral, is the most important Catholic building in Albi, France and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Albi. First built as a fortress in the aftermath of the Albigensian Crusade; begun in 1282 and under construction for 200 years, it is claimed to be the largest brick building in the world.
In 2010 the cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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 Brick Gothic cathedral was constructed in brick between 1287 and 1480 in the wake of the Cathar Church, a Christian non-trinitarian dualist movement with an episcopal see at Albi around 1165 AD. Pope Innocent III initiated a brutal crusade ("Cathar Crusade", 1209–1229) to extinguish Catharism in southern France, with great loss of life to area residents. 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 trinitarian Roman Catholic Church. The instigator of the cathedral's construction was Bernard de Castanet, Roman Catholic Bishop of Albi and Inquisitor of Languedoc. Work on the nave was completed about 1330.
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