Albi, France: a cultural city guide

Albi is a commune in southern France. It is the prefecture of the Tarn department.

It is located on the River Tarn, c. 85 km northeast of Toulouse. Its inhabitants are called Albigensians

Albi the Episcopal city, classified as World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in July 2010.

The town was at the heart of the so-called Albigensian heresy of the 12th and 13th centuries and the bloody crusade that crushed it.

Almost all of central Albi, including the cathedral, is built from bricks of reddish clay, dug from the River Tarn that meanders through the town.

Dubbed the "red city", Albi is an attractive medieval city and the birthplace of painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Albi's main sighst are its cathedral, a masterpiece of the Southern Gothic style, and the 13th-century Bishops' Palace, one of the oldest and best-preserved castles in France.

The old city of Albi, with its narrow streets and historic buildings, is clustered round the cathedral.

It is famous for its art scene, centered on the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, and its spectacular Gothic skyline, best enjoyed as the medieval red sandstone cathedral glows in the setting sun.