Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi
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La Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi was constructed from 1282 to 1480, built in the wake of the Albigensian heresy of the Cathares and the brutal crusade brought against it. This crusade, lead by Simon de Montfort, involved the burning of 400 Cathares—as well as numerous cases of rape, pillage, and execution. The sentiment of the crusade is reflected in Pope Arnaud Amaury's order: "Kill them all; God will know his own". In the aftermath of the bloodshed, the cathedral's presence was intended to bear testimony to the Christian faith, and its fortress-like exterior likely reflects this.
Perhaps the largest brick building in the world, it is built in the Southern Gothic Style. Notable artichtectural features include the bell-tower (added in 1492), which stands 78 meters tall, and the Dominique de Florence doorway (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 rodscreen with detailed filagree 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 square meters (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.
The cathedral's organ, work of artist Christophe Moucherel, dates from the 18th century.
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