Albi Cathedral

Cathedral of Saint Cecilia of Albi Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi
View of Albi Cathedral
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Province	Archdiocese of Albi within Ecclesiastical Province of Toulouse
Region	Midi-Pyrénées
Rite	Latin
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Leadership	Jean Legrez
Status	Active
Location
Location	Place Sainte-Cécile, Albi, France
Geographic coordinates	43°55′43″N 2°08′35″E / 43.928492°N 2.142945°E / 43.928492; 2.142945
Architecture
Type	church
Style	Southern French Gothic
Groundbreaking	1282
Completed	1480
Specifications
Length	113.5 m (372 ft)
Width	35 m (115 ft)
Height (max)	78 m (256 ft)
Materials	red brick UNESCO World Heritage Site
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi
Location	Europe
Criteria	Cultural: (ii), (iv), (vi)
Inscription	2010 (34th Session)

The Cathedral of Saint Cecilia of Albi (French: Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi), also known as Albi Cathedral, is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Albi. First built in the aftermath of the Albigensian Crusade, the grim exterior resembles a fortress, but the interior is lavishly decorated with art and sculpture, a very ornate choir screen, and walls in bright blues and golds, in the Toulousian or Southern French Gothic style. It was begun in 1282 and was under construction for 200 years. It is claimed to be the largest brick building in the world.^[1] In 2010 the cathedral, along with its episcopal buildings, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique architecture and the remarkable consistency in its design.^[2][3]