Albi 101610 223297952 2008-07-03T13:20:31Z Ksnow 135639 :''For the city in Calabria, Italy, see [[Albi, Italy]].'' {{French commune |nomcommune=Albi |image= [[Image:Albi2007a.jpg|250px]] |map=Albi dot.png | région=[[Midi-Pyrénées]]| département=[[Tarn]]| arrondissement=Albi| canton= | insee=81004 | cp= 81000| maire=Philippe Bonnecarrère | mandat=2001-2008 | intercomm=Albigeois| lat_long={{coor dms|43|55|44|N|02|08|47|E}}| alt moy=169 m |alt mini=130 m |alt maxi=308 m | hectares=4426| km²=44.26| sans=46,299| date-sans=1999| dens=1046 | date-dens=1999}} '''Albi''' is a [[commune in France|commune]] in southern [[France]]. It is the capital of the [[Tarn]] [[Departments of France|department]]. It is located on the [[Tarn River]] 50 miles northeast of [[Toulouse]]. Its inhabitants are called ''Albigensians'' ([[French language|French]]: ''Albigeois''/ ''Albigeoise(s)''). It was the seat of the [[Archbishop of Albi]]. ==Administration== Albi is the seat of 6 [[Canton in France|cantons]], covering 18 [[Commune in France|communes]], with a total population of 67,729. ==History== The first human settlement in Albi was in the [[Bronze Age]]. After the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] conquest of [[Gaul]] in [[51 BC]], the town became "Civitas Albigensium", the territory of the Albigeois, "Albiga". Archaeological digs have not revealed any traces of Roman buildings, which seems to indicate that Albi was a modest Roman settlement. In [[1040]], Albi went through a period of expansion with the construction of 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 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 Christianity (a dangerous heresy to the dominant Catholic faith). Repression was severe, and many were burnt at the stake throughout the region. The area, until then virtually independent, was reduced to a state that enabled it to be annexed to the French Crown. After the upheaval of the [[Albigeois]] crusade 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, and ordered the building of the impressive [[Albi Cathedral|cathedral of Sainte-Cécile]] starting in 1282. From 1450 to 1560, Albi enjoyed a period of commercial prosperity largely due to the cultivation of "Isatis Tinctoria" commonly known as [[woad]]. The superb town houses of the [[Renaissance]] bear witness to the vast fortunes amassed by the pastel merchants. Albi has conserved its rich architectural heritage which encapsulates the various brilliant periods of its history. A great deal of 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 [[Albi Cathedral|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 brick . [[Image:Cathedral St.Cecile.jpg|thumb|View of the Cathedral.|220px|left]] Among the monuments of the town is the [[Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi|Sainte Cécile cathedral]]. This monument is a masterpiece of the Southern [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style. It is characterized 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]] is a veritable 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]] workshops of [[Cluny]] and comprising over 200 statues which have retained their original colours. Older than the Palais des Papes in [[Avignon]], the ''Palais de la Berbie'', formerly the Bishops' Palace 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]] word Bisbia, meaning Bishops' Palace. The Old Bridge (''Pont Vieux'') is still in use today after almost a millennium of existence. Originally built in stone (in 1035), then clad with brick, it rests on 8 arches and is 151m long. In the 14th century, it was fortified, reinforced with a drawbridge and houses were built on the piers. Albi is a well known city for its elite ''Lycée Lapérouse'', a high school with 500 students situated inside an old monastery boasting several literature classes. Furthermore, it is one of the few holding a full scale music section with special high tech rooms for this section. Albi is the home of the [http://www.musee-toulouse-lautrec.com/index-en.htm Toulouse-Lautrec Museum]. More than 1000 works, including the 31 famous posters, are kept within the walls. This body of work forms the largest public collection in the world devoted to [[Toulouse-Lautrec]]. [[Image:Toulouse-Lautrec - La Goulue arrivant au Moulin Rouge.jpg|thumb|180px|''La Goulue arriving at the Moulin Rouge.'' ([[1892]]).]] ==Sport== * [[Racing Club Albi XIII|RC Albi]] - A [[rugby league]] that competes in the [[Elite One Championship]]. * [[SC Albi]] - The city's [[rugby union]] team that plays in the [[Top 14]] and [[European Challenge Cup]]. * Albi held Stage 13 of the [[2007 Tour de France]]. The stage was a 55 km individual time trial which started and finished in the city. ==Twin towns== Albi is twinned with: * {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Girona]], [[Spain]] * {{Flagicon|United States}} [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]], [[United States]] ==External links== * [http://www.albi-tourisme.com/us/ Tourist Office of Albi] * [http://www.mairie-albi.fr/eng/index.html Albi official Website in english] * [http://www.mairie-albi.fr/ Albi official Website in french] * [http://france-for-visitors.com/languedoc/albi.html Visiting Albi] (English) * [http://colindaylinks.com/france/albi.html Albi photographs,history etc.] (English) * [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01267a.htm Archdiocese of Albi (Albia)] - Article from the Catholic Encyclopedia 1908 * [http://www.albivisit.com Walking tours of Albi - cathedral, Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Old City] * [http://www.ophorus.com Excursions to Albi departing from Toulouse] {{commons|Albi}} {{Préfectures of départements of France}} {{Tarn communes}} [[Category:Communes of Tarn]] [[Category:Prefectures in France]] [[ar:ألبي]] [[br:Albi]] [[bg:Алби (Франция)]] [[ca:Albi (Occitània)]] [[ceb:Albi]] [[cs:Albi]] [[da:Albi]] [[de:Albi]] [[es:Albi (Tarn)]] [[eo:Albi (Francio)]] [[fr:Albi]] [[gl:Albi]] [[id:Albi]] [[it:Albi (Francia)]] [[he:אלבי]] [[la:Albia]] [[lv:Albī]] [[nl:Albi (Frankrijk)]] [[ja:アルビ]] [[no:Albi]] [[nn:Albi]] [[oc:Albi]] [[pl:Albi (Tarn)]] [[pt:Albi (França)]] [[ro:Albi]] [[ru:Альби]] [[simple:Albi]] [[sk:Albi]] [[sl:Albi]] [[sr:Алби (Тарн)]] [[fi:Albi]] [[sv:Albi]] [[vi:Albi]] [[vo:Albi]] [[zh:阿尔比]]