Albert is situated 18 miles (29 km) to the northeast of Amiens.
It was founded as a Roman outpost in about 54 BC. After being known by various forms of the name of the local river, the Ancre, it was renamed to Albert after it passed to Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes. It is best known today as a key location in the Battle of the Somme in World War I.
Albert was completely reconstructed after the war, including widening
and re-orienting the town's main streets. The Basilica, however, was
faithfully rebuilt according to its original design by Eduoard Duthoit,
the son of the architect who had overseen its construction in 1885-95.