Albi Cathedral | The Majestic Brick Masterpiece of Saint Cecilia | UNESCO World Heritage

Albi Cathedral | The Majestic Brick Masterpiece of Saint Cecilia | UNESCO World Heritage

Welcome to Catholic Shrine Basilica YouTube channel. Cathedral of St. Cecilia of Albbe, France. Introduction. The Cathedral of St. Cecilia of Albi, French. Cathedral St. Cecil DLB, also known as Albi Cathedral, is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Albi. First built in the aftermath of the Albigencian 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 Tusian 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. 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. The history of Cathedral of St. Cecilia of Albu, France. The first recorded church in Bishop’s residence was built at the end of the 4th century and is believed to have burned in about 666. A second is mentioned in 920 named for St. Cecilia, a wealthy Roman noble woman and martyr who was also a patronist of musicians. That church was part of a complex of Episcopal buildings, including a baptistry and sanctuary dedicated to St. Peter. A third church in the Roman-esque style was built of stone at the end of the 12th century and was located between the present cathedral and bishop’s palace. It incorporated some stonework of the earlier buildings and included a cloister on the south side. Some of the arches of the cloister are found today in the municipal park of Roshkud in Albi. In the 12th century, Albi was part of the province of Langodok ruled by the count of Tulus who was appointed by the king of France. The region became a battleground between the established church and the followers of a dissident religious movement called Catherism. The Caththers had a strong presence in Albi around 1165 AD. In 1208, Pope Innocent III launched the Albigencian crusade named for Albi to destroy the Cathers in southern France. It ended in 1209 with the defeat and massacre of the Cathers at Carason and the end of the semi-independence of the states of Langodok. In 1229, Albby came under the joint rule of the Lord of Castres and of King Louis VII of France. Architecture of the Cathedral of St. Cecilia of Albi, France. Architectural style southern French Gothic architecture. Bernard de Castanet 1240 to1317 who became bishop of Albi in 1276 was the key figure behind the construction of the Gothic Cathedral. He was a judge and lawyer had been an officer of the Inquisition for Langodok and later became a cardinal. He raised funds for the new building by setting aside 120th of the revenue of the chapter and offering spiritual incentives to parishioners who donated a tenth of their income. He also made imaginative use of the relics of St. Cecilia possessed by the church in his fundraising. He economized by using brick rather than stone to construct the new cathedral which was easier work. While building the cathedral, he also began construction of a new bishop’s palace and other supporting buildings. One result of the battle against the Cathers was the fortress-like appearance of the cathedral of allbe. It was intended to illustrate the power of the bishop, his unity with the king, and his fierce resistance against heresy and religious enemies. The cathedral was constructed beginning with an apps at the east end and building west through the choir between 1282 and 1300. Bernard de Castanet died in 1317. The nave walls were built topped by channels to carry off rainwater between about 1310 and 1340 followed by then the base of the bell tower built between 1355 and 1366 and the construction of the vaults over the nave. Work on the nave was completed at about 1330. A new bishop Dominique de Florence in office 1397 to 1410 completed the monumental portal on the west side. There was a long lull before construction resumed again under another bishop Lewis Dumbois 1474 to 1505 a counselor of Louis X 11th of France and Charles VII of France. The cathedral was finally consecrated on April 23rd, 1480. A cross placed on the west wall on that date commemorates that event. Exterior. The cathedral is built in the southern French Gothic style, also sometimes called the Tulu style. The convent of the Jacabins in Tulus 1260 to 1292 follows a similar plan. As suitable building stone was scarce locally, it was built almost entirely of brick, which also was easier to work and gave the builders greater flexibility. It has a single vessel without a transcept and without lower collateral aisles. This gives it the widest Gothic nave in France, 18 m 59 ft, compared with 14.65 65 m 48.1 ft at Rams Cathedral and 14 m 46 ft at Notredam de Paris. Instead of using flying buttresses to support the upper walls as in northern France, the thick walls of Tulus are supported by semic-ircular buttresses integrated into the walls rising up to the roof and coming inside to form the separations between the chapels. The principal entry is on the south side through an elaborate porch entered by a fortified stairway rather than through the west front as is traditional in French Gothic architecture. Interior. The nave where the congregation worships and the choir reserved for the clergy together are 97 m 318 ft long, 30 m, 98 ft high, and 19 m 62 ft wide. While the brick outside of the church is austere and solemn, the interior is almost exploding with color. The vaults, tribunes, and walls of the chapels are entirely covered with painting and decoration, most of it painted during the Renaissance. Bellt tower. The bell tower is 78 m, 256 ft tall and is composed of two distinct sections and styles. The lower portion was built between 1355 and 1366. It is composed of stacked square sections of which the exterior surfaces feature rounded arches and bands of decoration connecting cylindrical corners. The upper level completed in 1492 has three octagonal sections growing smaller as they rise in height surrounded by ballastrates. The top section has two delicate flying arches on the west side and two slender supporting towers on the east side. Portals unlike most Gothic cathedrals where the principal entrance is on the west front at all be the main entrances are on the south and southeast sides and date later than much of the cathedral. The south portal previously passed through a separate chapel built in 1521 next to the cathedral which was destroyed in the 19th century. It now is preceded by a very ornate baldin whose vault is covered with intricate interlocking ribs of the flamboyant style. Between the baldin and the interior is an extraordinary forest of lacelike twisting spires, crochets and other ornament. The pioneer architectural preservationist Prosper Marram described the intent of the decoration as admirable but remarked that the finished baldin was entirely absurd since it was open to the sky and offered no protection at all from the wind, rain or sun. It uniquely incorporates a statue of St. Sigelina the deaconess who is the patronist saint of the city. Because the cathedral is built on the side of a hill sloping down to the river, the entrance on the southeast side of the chaveet is located 30 ft 9.1 m below the level of the nave and choir and those entering must go up an outside stairway. The portal of Dominique de Florence named for the bishop who commissioned it and also known as the portal of St. Cecilia was built at the beginning of the 15th century between the chaveet and one of the towers of the city wall. It gives access to the stairway which leads upward to the entrance into the apps of church. The portal has a lace-like open tempenum containing statuary and is crowned by quadrilllo bearing the coat of arms of the bishop who commissioned it. The root screen. The choir is the portion of the interior at the east end reserved for the members of the clergy. It has some of the most elaborate decoration combining sculpture, painting, iron work, and wood carving. Every portion of the choir, from the choir stalls, and floors to the walls, tribunes, and vaults above, is elaborately decorated and painted or colored. The rude screen or ubay is a decorative fence that separates the choir from the nave and is located about midway in the cathedral. Its function was originally to allow the clergy to pray and meditate in a quiet atmosphere undisturbed by people circulating in the nave or other parts of the church. They were very common in French Gothic cathedrals until the 16th century when most were removed as part of widespread reform of church doctrine begun by the Council of Trent 1545 to 1563 intended to combat the rise of Protestantism and make the interior of churches more open and welcoming. The Albby screen was kept but then was threatened with destruction during the French Revolution as an example of fanaticism and superstition. Many of the statues on the outer face were smashed, but the interior of the screen survived intact. The root screen is made of filigree stone work topped with a group of polychrome wooden statues representing Christ on the cross, the Virgin Mary, and St. John. These statues were not original to the cathedral. They probably came from the former church of the cordelers and were installed in the 19th century. Wall painting. One of the distinctive features of Albby Cathedral is the polychrome geometric painting of the tribunes and upper walls particularly in the choir and the chapels. The geometric designs have a number of different motifs. Some imitate the appearance of marble. Some are divided into medallions or squares or give the appearance of three-dimensional cubes. Some have coats of arms or painted tree branches or false ballastrades. The upper levels offer painted animals or birds inhabiting the geometric designs in an elaborate combination of humor and fantasy. Pulpit. The Baroque pulpit in the nave was commissioned by the Cardinal Bernest and was made between 1776 and 1779 by the Italian sculptors Misetti and Madernie. Chapels. The cathedral features 12 small chapels along the sides of the nave. 12 more alongside the choir, five chapels radiating from the apps at the east end and the Chappelle St. Clair at the west end. In the 15th century, the nave chapels were enhanced with overhead galleries. Over the years, the chapels were frequently redecorated, which led to Eugene Violet Luduk’s complaint in 1841 about the damage done, including paintings covering murals and clumsy whitewashing restorations. He undertook significant restorations, especially in the Chappelle de la St. Croy where nine murals depict the discovery of fragments of the true cross and their role in Emperor Constantine’s victory. The Chappelle St. Clare added at the base of the tower in the late 17th century was placed directly behind the fresco of the last judgment with Bishop Laguda Bear destroying part of the fresco to create space for the chapel and altar. The chapel of Notre Dame and St. Cecile located at the east end was decorated between 1777 and 1779 by the Italian artist Jock and Misetti and features a marble statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by four paintings of scenes from her life by Francois 4 with a gir halo paintings. The last judgment fresco. The oldest painting is the mural of the last judgment on the interior of the western front which was painted at the end of the 15th century. It covers an area of 15x 18 m 49x 59 ft. Some portions of the mural were removed in 1693 due to the creation the chapel of St. Clare at the base of the tower. Some of the central figures such as Christ rendering judgment and Archangel Michael weighing the sins of those being judged were removed to make a doorway into a chapel. Stained glass. Only a small amount of medieval stained glass remains in the widows of the cathedral. Most of the windows date to the 19th and first part of the 20th century. The Chapel of the Holy Cross has two windows from the 15th century representing St. Helen carrying a large cross and King Louis Vin holding a cross reoquary. Some pieces of earlier glass including the coat of arms of Bishop Barad de Farguse dated between 1320 and 1330 are incorporated into more modern windows. The organ, the main organ of the cathedral is located on the upper level, the nave at the west end above the mural of the last judgment. It was commissioned in 1734 by bishop de la Croy de castre from the craftsman Kristoff Mutel. It replaced the first organ dating to the end of the 15th century and a second smaller organ which had been attached to the root screen. The 1734 organ reused some of the pipes of the first organ. The decoration at top the pipes of the organs includes at the top statues of angels with wings spread and with trumpets heralding St. Cecile and St. Valyrian. Below these are two white unicorns with the coats of arms of the bishop. And below these five towers of pipes crowned with statues of angel musicians. The cornice of the organ rests on the shoulders of two sculpted Atlantes. The organ itself was rebuilt and restored several times in the 18th and 19th century. It was radically rebuilt in 1903 into a more romantic style while preserving the older pipes above. Between 1977 and 1981, it was rebuilt again, restoring its original classical appearance. Treasury. The Treasury of the Cathedral is a rare example of a cathedral treasury located in its original place. It is a vated chamber attached to the disambulatory of the nave on the north side of the cathedral above the vestier and adjoining the sacry which was constructed in the late 13th century and was used to keep the church archives and precious objects. It has a series of niches closed with iron grills. It was remade into a museum in 2001. It originally contained the cathedral’s most precious relic, a fragment of the true cross, which disappeared in 1792 during the French Revolution at the same time that the cathedral main altar and silver table were destroyed. The objects displayed now are largely those that were preserved in the tombs of the bishops, as well as more recent objects made in the early 19th century. It also contains a collection of paintings including a polypique of scenes from the life of virgin and child from the 16th century with a gilded background and paintings of the life of St. Cecilia the patron saint of the cathedral. Feast day feast day November 22nd the cathedral of St. Cecilia in Albe France is dedicated to St. Cecilia the patron saint of musicians. Her feast day is celebrated on November 22nd each year. Church mass timing. Sunday 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday 6:30 p.m. Tuesday 6:30 p.m. Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Thursday 6:30 p.m. Friday 6:30 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. Church opening time. Monday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Contact info 5bd general civil 81,000 lb France connectivities airway Tulu’s Blanak airport to the cathedral of St. Cecilia of Albi France distance between 1 hour 10 minutes 81.8 km via A68 railway Albbyville station to the church of the cathedral of St. Cecilia of Alb France distance between 3 minutes 950.0 m via BD Roger Senro. If you wish to know more about Catholic Shrine Basilas, Marian shrines and Maran apparitions. Subscribe to our Catholic Shrine Basilica YouTube channel. Like and share with your loved ones for more churches website www.catholshrinebasilica.com. at catholinebasilica.com.

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Cathedral of Saint Cecilia of Albi, France

Explore the stunning Albi Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site in France dedicated to Saint Cecilia. Learn about the history and architecture of this majestic brick masterpiece.

Explore the Cathedral of Saint Cecilia in Albi, France — a monumental Gothic masterpiece built after the Albigensian Crusade. Begun in 1282 and completed over 200 years later, this awe-inspiring red brick cathedral combines fortress-like strength with a breathtakingly ornate interior of vivid frescoes, sculptures, and a magnificent choir screen. Recognized as the world’s largest brick building, Albi Cathedral and its episcopal complex were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 for their architectural unity and artistic splendor.

Explore the majestic Albi Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site in France, dedicated to Saint Cecilia. Marvel at its unique brick architecture and rich history in this video tour.

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. 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.

Albi Cathedral, Sainte-Cécile d’Albi, Saint Cecilia, Gothic architecture, Toulouse Gothic, UNESCO World Heritage, Albi France, largest brick building, French cathedrals, medieval art, architecture, frescoes, choir screen, Southern France, travel, history

Explore the majestic Albi Cathedral of Saint Cecilia in France, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Discover the beauty of this brick masterpiece in this video tour.

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