Albi
| The City of Albi sits astride the river Tarn, which in turn gives its name to the region, Département du Tarn, Albi is
the Préfecture du Tarn. Albi has a long history - notably it’s association with the Cathares of The Languedoc Region, who were known as the “Albigensians” after one of their leaders Viscount Trencaval of Albi. Though it avoided the destruction that many of the Languedoc towns suffered. The main landmark is the Cathedral of Sainte Cécile, built more like a fortress, during the 13th & 14th centuries, symbolising the victory over the heresy. Alongside is the Archbishop’s Palace of La Berbie (Berbia being bishopric in the Occitan dialect) today this houses the Toulouse Lautrec Museum and has the largest collection of his works in the world on display. Saint Salvi Collegiate Church and Cloisters, also in the centre of Albi, (and where Tennis is claimed to have been invented!) predate the Cathedral by two centuries and the building was commenced in the Norman style. |
 The Cathedral bell-tower... |
 ...and Baldachino main entrance. |
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