Albi--The Town Center

Clandestine meeting point?

High buildings and narrow streets

Loggia on the top floor

I was  curious to see Albi.  Maybe I could find in the buildings some clues as to why it was such a hotbed of revolt against the Catholic Church in the 13th century.  After all, the Crusade wasn't called the "Albigensian Crusade" for no reason.  I still struggle with the concept that history sold us a bill of goods when referring to the Crusades as an attempt to "save" the Holy Land from heathen Muslims.  This crusade was an joint effort of the Pope and the King of France to eradicate French citizens and, oh, by the way, confiscate all their property.  So pardon me if I cough at the notion of virtuous motives.

Brick in need of restoration

The city must have been really something to witness in medieval times.  The town center is a maze of streets lined with 4 and 5 story buildings of brick and wood.  They must have been the skyscrapers of the day.  I can't go back and revisit the time, but Albi has the feel of having been a prosperous, progressive city.

Restaurants invite us

Skyscrapers of their day

I loved the architecture.   Brick abounds, and is decorated with patterns and designs.  Shutters provide color.  Many facades are half-timbered.  The cathedral and nearby buildings are full of curves. I tried imagining what market day around the cathedral must have been like--the colors and the smells and sounds of all manner of vendors advertising their goods.  

The upper floors cantilever out over the street

Present-day Albi probably has its own version of urban blight, but I wasn't downtown long enough to discern that.  While my thoughts are wandering off to who lived in these buildings and what kind of lives did they lead, Jason, ever-pragmatic, drew my attention to some renovation work that was going on in one of those tall brick structures and remarked upon the difficulty of getting construction materials up to the top floors and the rules the remodelers must have to follow about what work is and is not allowed to look like, especially exterior work.

Mary and Jason check out the menu.  We lunched here.

 

Interior courtyard and tea room

Brick, timbers, colorful shutters

Nearing the Cathedral

Decorative brick work.  Bet the chocolate vendor is Dutch?

What stories are contained in this home?

When I think of history as a series of truths, connected to individuals and their stories, I find Albi and its inhabitants, past and present, to be a fascination that I intend to explore further.  Fortunately, it's served well by the train system and is certainly worthy of a weekend or several day's wandering.  

On the wall of a restaurant.