🏛️ Episcopal City of Albi – Old Town (Vieil Alby)
Medieval fortress city built in terracotta brick
📌 Fast Facts
- Location: Tarn department, Occitanie, southern France
- Material: Local red terracotta brick throughout
- UNESCO inscription: 2010
- Protected area: Approximately 40 hectares of medieval urban core
The Episcopal City of Albi is a medieval urban ensemble in southern France that demonstrates the consolidated spiritual and temporal authority of the Catholic Church through integrated architectural and urban planning. The Old Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 for its outstanding testimony to medieval ecclesiastical power and its cohesive construction in distinctive local terracotta brick. As of 2026, the historic city remains fully inhabited and accessible to visitors ...