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{{About||the ''comune'' in Italy|Albi, Calabria|other uses}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name               = Albi
|commune status     = [[Prefectures of France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image              = (Albi) North views of the Ste Cécile Cathedral and the Old Bridge.jpg
|caption            = Albi featuring the Sainte-Cécile cathedral and the Pont Vieux (old bridge) over the river Tarn
|image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Albi (Tarn).svg
|arrondissement     = Albi
|canton             = [[Canton of Albi-1|Albi-1]], [[Canton of Albi-2|Albi-2]], [[Canton of Albi-3|Albi-3]], [[Canton of Albi-4|Albi-4]]
|INSEE              = 81004
|postal code        = 81000
|mayor              = Stéphanie Guiraud-Chaumeil<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=4 May 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
|term               = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality   = [[Communauté d'agglomération de l'Albigeois|CA Albigeois]]
|elevation m        = 169
|coordinates        = {{coord|43.9289|2.1464|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation min m    = 130
|elevation max m    = 308
|area km2           = 44.26
|population         = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
|footnotes = 
  {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
  |child = yes
  |Official_name = Episcopal City of Albi
  |ID = 1337
  |Year = 2010
  |Criteria = Cultural: iv, v
  |Area = 19.47 ha
  |Buffer_zone = 64.09 ha
  }}
}}

'''Albi''' ({{IPA|fr|albi|-|Fr-Albi.ogg}}; {{langx|oc|Albi}} {{IPA|oc|ˈalβi|}})<ref>However, after the preposition ''a ~ à'', the name becomes ''as Albi ~ à-z-Albi'' {{IPA|oc|aˈzalβi|}}</ref> is a [[commune in France|commune]] in southern France. It is the [[prefecture]] of the [[Tarn (department)|Tarn]] [[Departments of France|department]], on the river [[Tarn (river)|Tarn]], 85&nbsp;km northeast of [[Toulouse]]. Its inhabitants are called ''Albigensians'' ({{langx|fr|Albigeois, Albigeoise(s)}}, {{langx|oc|albigés -esa(s)}}). It is the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Albi|Archbishop of Albi]].

The episcopal city, around the [[Albi Cathedral|Cathedral Sainte-Cécile]], was added to the [[UNESCO]] list of [[World Heritage Sites]] in 2010 for its unique architecture.<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/643/ UNESCO World Heritage Centre – World Heritage Committee inscribes five new cultural sites on World Heritage List and approves two extensions to existing properties]. Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved on 19 November 2011.</ref> The site includes the [[Musée Toulouse-Lautrec]], dedicated to [[Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec|the artist]] who was born in Albi.

==Administration==
Albi is the seat of four [[Canton in France|cantons]], covering 16 [[Commune in France|communes]], with a total population of 72,416 (2019).<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep81.pdf Populations légales 2019: 81 Tarn], INSEE</ref>

==History==
[[File:Town hall of Albi 01.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|The [[Hôtel de Ville, Albi|Hôtel de Ville]]]]
The first human settlement in Albi was in the [[Bronze Age]] (3000–600 [[Before Christ|BC]]). After the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] conquest of [[Gaul]] in 51&nbsp;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 584, Gregory of Tours reports that the majority of the townsfolk died from [[Plague (disease)|plague]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kohn|first=George C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tzRwRmb09rgC|title=Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present|publisher=Infobase Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-4381-2923-5|pages=128–129|language=en|chapter=Frankish Plagues of the Sixth Century}}</ref>

In 1040, Albi expanded and constructed 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 to travelers 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 ascetic Christian dualism, a heresy considered dangerous by the dominant Catholic Church. Repression was severe, and many Cathars were burnt at the stake throughout the region. The area, until then virtually independent, was reduced to such a condition that it was subsequently annexed by the French Crown.

After the upheaval of the [[Albigensian 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. He ordered the building of the [[Albi Cathedral|cathedral of Sainte-Cécile]] starting in 1282. The town enjoyed a period of commercial prosperity largely due to the cultivation of ''Isatis Tinctoria'', commonly known as [[woad]]. The fine houses built during the [[Renaissance]] bear witness to the vast fortunes amassed by the pastel merchants.

Albi had a small [[Jewish]] community during [[medieval]] times, until it was annihilated in the 1320s [[Shepherds' Crusade (1320)|Shepherds' Crusade]].<ref name="jewishencyclopedia">{{cite web|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1085-alby-albi|title=ALBY (ALBI)|website=JewishEncyclopedia.com|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> Afterwards, [[Jews]] were only allowed to transit the town by payment, without living in it. In 1967, approximately 70 [[Jews]] lived in Albi, most of them of North-African origin.<ref name="jewishvirtuallibrary">{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0001_0_00686.html|website=jewishvirtuallibrary.org|title=Albi|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>

Albi has conserved its rich architectural heritage which encapsulates the various brilliant periods of its history. Considerable improvement and restoration work has been done, to embellish the old quarters and to give them a new look, in which brick reigns supreme. The [[Hôtel de Ville, Albi|Hôtel de Ville]], also built in brick, dates back to at least 1682.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00095461}}</ref>

==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 red brick.

Among the buildings of the town is the [[Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi|Sainte Cécile cathedral]], a masterpiece of the [[Southern French Gothic|Southern Gothic]] style, built between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is characterised 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&nbsp;m high bell tower, the Baldaquin over the entrance (1515–1540). The [[rood screen]] is a filigree work in stone in the [[Flamboyant Gothic]] style. It is decorated with a magnificent group of polychrome statuary carved by artists from the [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundian]] workshops of [[Cluny]] and comprising over 200 statues, which have retained their original colours.

[[Image:Albi palais berbie.JPG|thumb|Palais de la Berbie]]
Older than the ''[[Palais des Papes]]'' in [[Avignon]], the ''Palais de la Berbie'', formerly the Bishops' [[Palace]] of Albi, now the [[Musée Toulouse-Lautrec|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 language|Occitan]] word ''Bisbia'', meaning Bishops' Palace.

The Old Bridge (''Pont Vieux'') is still in use after almost a millennium. Originally built in stone (in 1035), then clad with brick, it rests on eight arches and is 151&nbsp;m long. In the 14th century, it was fortified and reinforced with a drawbridge, and houses were built on the piers.

Albi is a city known for its elite ''Lycée Lapérouse'', a high school with 500 students situated inside an old monastery. It has several advanced literature classes. Furthermore, it is one of the few holding a full-scale music section with special high-tech rooms for this section. The Pacific explorer [[Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse]] is commemorated in the museum.
[[File:Toulouse-Lautrec - La Goulue arrivant au Moulin Rouge.jpg|thumb|120px|''La Goulue arriving at the Moulin Rouge'', by [[Toulouse-Lautrec]] (1892)]]
Located in an ancient mill (41 rue Porta), the Le LAIT Art Centre is a research laboratory dedicated to contemporary art.<ref name="centredartlelait">{{cite web|url=http://www.centredartlelait.com/?lang=en#|website=centredartlelait.com|title=centre d'art Le Lait|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>

===Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec===
The [[Musée Toulouse-Lautrec|Toulouse-Lautrec Museum]] houses more than 1000 works, including 31 famous posters. This body of work forms the largest public collection in the world devoted to [[Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec]], who was born in Albi in 1864.<ref name="BnF Catalogue général">{{cite web|url=http://ark.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11926892d|title=Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec |publisher=BnF Catalogue général|access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref>

===World Heritage Site===
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre notes the Old Bridge (Pont-Vieux), the Saint-Salvi quarter, the quarter's church, the fortified cathedral (late 13th century) in unique southern French Gothic style from local brick, the bishop's Palais de la Berbie, and residential quarters, which help the Episcopal City of Albi form a "coherent and homogeneous ensemble of monuments and quarters that has remained largely unchanged over the centuries... a complete built ensemble representative of a type of urban development in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day."<ref>
{{cite web
| title = Episcopal City of Albi
| publisher = World Heritage Centre - UNESCO
| url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1337/
| access-date = 20 August 2012}}</ref>

==Transport==
Albi is served by two railway stations on the line from Toulouse to Rodez:
* [[Gare d'Albi-Ville]]
* [[Gare d'Albi-Madeleine]]

The [[A68 autoroute|A68]] motorway connects Albi with Toulouse (and Lyon N 88, future motorway).

The nearest airport is [[Toulouse-Blagnac Airport]], located {{convert|84|km|abbr=on}} south west of Albi.

==Sport==
* [[SC Albi]] – The city's [[rugby union]] team competing in the second-level [[Rugby Pro D2]].
* [[Racing Club Albi XIII|RC Albi]] – A [[rugby league]] team that compete in the [[Elite One Championship]].
* [[US Albi]] – A Union Sports Football Club established in 1912 in Albi playing the Regional 2 Level.
* Albi held Stage 13 of the [[2007 Tour de France]]. The stage was a {{Convert|55|km|mi|abbr=on}} individual time trial which started and finished in the city.
* Albi was the finish of Stage 10 of the [[2019 Tour de France]] on Mon 15 July. There was a rest day at Albi on the 16th and Albi was the start of stage 11 to Toulouse On Weds 18 July.  
* Albi was the finish of Stage 5 of the [[2023 Tour de France Femmes]] avec Zwift on Thursday, 27 July. The winner of the stage was [[Ricarda Bauernfeind]] (Germany) of Team Canyon/Sram Racing. Bauernfeind was riding in her Tour debut.
* [[Circuit d'Albi]], a motor racing circuit used for national racing surrounding Albi's airport.

==Education==
* [[École des mines d'Albi-Carmaux]]
* [[Jean-François Champollion University Center for Teaching and Research]]

==Climate==
Albi experiences a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') bordering [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb''). Like much of southwestern France, the summers tend to be warmer and the winters milder than most areas of similar classification. Substantial summer rainfall prevents its climate from being classified as Mediterranean.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Albi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1976–present)
|Jan record high C = 19.5
|Feb record high C = 24.7
|Mar record high C = 28.3
|Apr record high C = 30.1
|May record high C = 35.4
|Jun record high C = 40.5
|Jul record high C = 40.8
|Aug record high C = 42.3
|Sep record high C = 36.5
|Oct record high C = 34.3
|Nov record high C = 25.3
|Dec record high C = 21.0
|Jan record low C = -20.4
|Feb record low C = -12.0
|Mar record low C = -9.8
|Apr record low C = -3.6
|May record low C = -0.2
|Jun record low C = 4.3
|Jul record low C = 6.5
|Aug record low C = 4.9
|Sep record low C = 1.0
|Oct record low C = -2.7
|Nov record low C = -9.4
|Dec record low C = -10.5
|Jan high C = 9.7
|Feb high C = 11.4
|Mar high C = 15.3
|Apr high C = 18.1
|May high C = 22.0
|Jun high C = 26.1
|Jul high C = 28.8
|Aug high C = 29.1
|Sep high C = 24.9
|Oct high C = 20.0
|Nov high C = 13.5
|Dec high C = 10.3
| year high C = 19.1
|Jan mean C = 5.8
|Feb mean C = 6.5
|Mar mean C = 9.8
|Apr mean C = 12.4
|May mean C = 16.3
|Jun mean C = 20.2
|Jul mean C = 22.5
|Aug mean C = 22.6
|Sep mean C = 18.7
|Oct mean C = 14.8
|Nov mean C = 9.3
|Dec mean C = 6.3
| year mean C = 13.8
|Jan low C = 1.9
|Feb low C = 1.7
|Mar low C = 4.2
|Apr low C = 6.7
|May low C = 10.5
|Jun low C = 14.2
|Jul low C = 16.1
|Aug low C = 16.1
|Sep low C = 12.6
|Oct low C = 9.6
|Nov low C = 5.2
|Dec low C = 2.3
| year low C = 8.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 60.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 48.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 54.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 80.4
|May precipitation mm = 78.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 62.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 45.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 49.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 57.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 64.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 65.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 65.5
|year precipitation mm = 733.9
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 10.8
| Feb precipitation days = 8.6
| Mar precipitation days = 9.1
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 9.3
| Jun precipitation days = 7.4
| Jul precipitation days = 6.1
| Aug precipitation days = 6.1
| Sep precipitation days = 7.0
| Oct precipitation days = 8.7
| Nov precipitation days = 10.2
| Dec precipitation days = 10.6
| year precipitation days =103.9
|Jan sun = 90.5
|Feb sun = 119.7
|Mar sun = 175.0
|Apr sun = 187.9
|May sun = 219.4
|Jun sun = 247.4
|Jul sun = 275.5
|Aug sun = 263.1
|Sep sun = 215.8
|Oct sun = 155.9
|Nov sun = 95.9
|Dec sun = 88.1
|year sun = 2134.2
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=81284001
|title=Normales et records pour Albi (81) 
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=14 December 2024}}</ref><ref name=MFclimat2>{{cite web
| url = http://www.meteofrance.com/climat/france/midi-pyrenees/regi73/normales
| title = Climat Midi-Pyrénées
| publisher = Meteo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 8 January 2016
| archive-date = 3 August 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190803071302/http://www.meteofrance.com/climat/france/midi-pyrenees/regi73/normales
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

==Population==
{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|390|Albi}}</ref> and INSEE (1968-2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-81004#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |11176
|1800 |9649
|1806 |10061
|1821 |10644
|1831 |11665
|1836 |11801
|1841 |12408
|1846 |14211
|1851 |13788
|1856 |14636
|1861 |15493
|1866 |16596
|1872 |17469
|1876 |19169
|1881 |20379
|1886 |21224
|1891 |20903
|1896 |21948
|1901 |22571
|1906 |23303
|1911 |25100
|1921 |26628
|1926 |29015
|1931 |29351
|1936 |30293
|1946 |34342
|1954 |34693
|1962 |38709
|1968 |42930
|1975 |46162
|1982 |45947
|1990 |46579
|1999 |46274
|2007 |48889
|2012 |49231
|2017 |48970
}}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}
Albi is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Albi: Une destination unique|url=http://www.albi.fr/sites/default/files/kiosque/Albi_destination_unique.pdf|website=albi.fr|publisher=Albi|page=54|language=fr|access-date=2021-04-20}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Girona]], Spain
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]], United States
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[City of Randwick|Randwick]], Australia

==Notable people==
*[[Antoinette de Saliès]] (1639–1730), writer, feminist
*[[Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse]] (1741–1788), Pacific explorer
*[[Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières]] (1815–1895), military engineer and general
*[[Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec]] (1864–1901), painter, caricaturist, illustrator
*[[Pierre Benoit (novelist)|Pierre Benoit]] (1886–1962), novelist, screenwriter
*[[Isabelle Candelier]] (born 1963), actress

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Albi 1.png|Albi
Albi cathedrale.png|Albi cathedral
(Albi) Eglise Sainte-Marie-Madeleine vue du premier niveau du Palais épiscopal.jpg|St-Madeleine Church, Albi
Albi Sainte-Cécile.JPG|[[Albi Cathedral|Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile]]
Albi Cathedral Choir (7160566080).jpg|The choir of the cathedral
Sainte-cecile albi jugement dernier.JPG|In the cathedral, paintings of the Last Judgement
France Albi cloitre Saint Salvy.jpg|[[Collégiale Saint-Salvi]], the oldest church in Albi, dedicated to [[Salvius of Albi|Saint Salvius]]
Albi - Façade hôtel Reynès.jpg|Hôtel Reynès (Renaissance)
(Albi)_Maison_Enjalbert_Albi_XVI°_siècle_MériméePA00095478.jpg|Maison Enjalbert (Renaissance)
(Albi) Le Tarn vu du vieux pont vers l'ouest.jpg|Tarn river in Albi
(Albi) Palais de la Berbie - Jardin ancienne place d'arme.jpg
Albi - Berges du Tarn (1).jpg|Banks of the Tarn river
Albi - Berges du Tarn (2).jpg|Banks of the Tarn river
(Albi) Palais de la Berbie, depuis le Vieux Pont.jpg
(Albi) North views of the Ste Cécile Cathedral.jpg
Albi.jpg|Map of Albi, 1914
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Lion and Sun#Other (non-Iranian) variants|Lion and Sun]]
*[[Tourism in Tarn]]

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Albi}}
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.albi.fr/ Official website] (in French)
*[https://www.albi-tourisme.fr/en Tourist Office of Albi]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01267a.htm Archdiocese of Albi (Albia)] – Article from the Catholic Encyclopedia 1908
*[http://www.midifrance.net/segala/albi/ Albi] (in English)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110720215214/http://perso.enstimac.fr/~schwartz/or/madeleine-description-eglise.pdf Detailed description of the Madeleine Church of Albi] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{Tarn communes}}
{{World Heritage Sites in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Albi| ]]
[[Category:Communes of Tarn (department)]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in France]]
[[Category:Jewish French history]]
[[Category:Judaism in France]]
[[Category:Languedoc]]
[[Category:Cities in Occitania (administrative region)]]