The retired traveller: Albi & Toulouse-Lautrec

While the city of Albi gives its name to the Albigensian crusade against the Cathars, it is also the home of one of the largest collections of the art of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, housed in the 13th century Palais de la Berbie, built for the bishops of Albi. It is also a really lovely city in its own right with both historical and civic sights to visit.

Palais de la Berbie in the background

So for Dale and Kim's last day, we aimed the car toward Albi. It's quite a distance - almost 2 hours, but we will only visit Albi today, no extraneous stops.

We stumbled onto parking just a couple blocks from the center of town.

Guarding our lot is a statue of Jean Francois de Laperouse a French navigator and explorer, born in Albi.

Dominating this whole area is the Cathedral of Saint Cecilia, reputed to be the largest brick building in the world. Visible everywhere, it was begun after the Albigensian crusade, designed to look like a fort, imposing and powerful, a reminder of the earthly power of the bishops and a warning not to stray from the Catholic faith.

Cathedrale de St Cecile

In the early 13th century, Albi was a center for Catharism, a sect of Christianity that did not accept the authority of the Catholic church and held other beliefs considered heretical by the pope. Pope Innocent III declared a crusade against the "Albigensien heresy" throughout the south of France. Many of the sites we've been visiting - castles, towns, villages - were touched by this crusade which killed more than 1,000,000 people, destroyed countless towns, and ultimately brought semi-independent Languedoc under the rule of the French king. But Albi itself, though a center of Catharism, was not damaged in this 20 year crusade. But the Dominican order and the Inquisition were born due to this conflict.

Only the south portal of the cathedral hints at the Gothic interior of the church. Begun in 1276 and finished in 1480, the cathedral has many unique features that showcase its wealth and importance.

The south portal is an unusual place to enter a church. Worshipers usually enter by the east door.

Once inside, there seem to be two churches. One is recognizable - the single nave with side chapels of southern Gothic style.

looking down the nave toward the altar

one of many side chapels

side chapels

All the walls and ceilings are painted in lively, often geometric patterns.

Gothic vaulted ceiling

close up of squares from painted wall above - I see the loaves and the fishes

A huge 15th century painting of the Last Judgment is painted on the west wall behind the altar. The center portion was removed during a renovation to expose the chapel that was built under the bell tower. This center portion of the mural had included the figure of Christ.

The Last Judgment painting behind the main altar

the new chapel behind the main altar

The second "church" takes up the second half of the nave and is separated from the rest of the church by a carved rood screen. This separated the towns-folk from the monks. It escaped destruction in the French Revolution and is remarkably intact. The lace-work carving on the choir incredible showing enormous skill on the part of the masons and stone carvers.

the rood screen

carving on the choir

choir screen on left, looking through doorway to the main sanctuary

The number and variety of statues gracing this choir each require study. But I was thinking as I walked the choir "Why were only the monks allowed to see these beautiful angels? Why not the common folk?"

looking toward the altar in the choir

angels decorate the choir screen above the choir stalls

each angel is different

After eating lunch on benches across from the gothic entrance, we headed around the back of the cathedral to the Berbie Palace. This former bishops palace (and it is palatial) now houses the Toulouse-Lautrec museum. It houses a comprehensive collection of his work.