A little history of Sainte-Cécile cathedral in Albi
And also
The tops
A first church was raised, dedicated to the saint Cross, when Albi was called Albienses.
In the middle of the 13th century, they rebuilt a bigger church. Bishop of Albi, Bernard de Castanet, laid down the first stone of the church in August 15th 1282.
Bernard wanted the most beautiful church... so he gave money from his own purse!
Others gave too: Raymond, count of Toulouse, Malfred, viscount of Narbonne, Trincavel, viscount of Béziers...
The choir was completed in the middle of the 14th century, despite of the Hundred Years Wars and English troops that camped in the city from 1363 to 1385.
The last floors of the bell-tower were raised by bishop Louis I d'Amboise, who dedicated the cathedral in April 1480. This one also decided to raise the jubé ("rood screen") and the carved porch.
Sainte-Cécile went through wars of Religion and the French Revolution. In the 19th century, César Daly restored the church, from 1844 to 1879.