diff --git a/samples/Basic/49_alignment.php b/samples/Basic/49_alignment.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83fdb3d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/Basic/49_alignment.php
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+<?php
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Alignment;
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../Header.php';
+
+$helper->log('Create new Spreadsheet object');
+$spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+$spreadsheet->getProperties()->setTitle('Alignment');
+$sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+$hi = 'Hi There';
+$ju = 'This is a longer than normal sentence';
+$sheet->fromArray([
+    ['', 'default', 'bottom', 'top', 'center', 'justify', 'distributed'],
+    ['default', $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi],
+    ['left', $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi],
+    ['right', $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi],
+    ['center', $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi, $hi],
+    ['justify', $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju],
+    ['distributed', $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju, $ju],
+]);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('B')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('C')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('D')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('E')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('F')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getColumnDimension('G')->setWidth(20);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(2)->setRowHeight(30);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(3)->setRowHeight(30);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(4)->setRowHeight(30);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(5)->setRowHeight(30);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(6)->setRowHeight(40);
+$sheet->getRowDimension(7)->setRowHeight(40);
+$minRow = 2;
+$maxRow = 7;
+$minCol = 'B';
+$maxCol = 'g';
+$sheet->getStyle("C$minRow:C$maxRow")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_BOTTOM);
+$sheet->getStyle("D$minRow:D$maxRow")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_TOP);
+$sheet->getStyle("E$minRow:E$maxRow")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_CENTER);
+$sheet->getStyle("F$minRow:F$maxRow")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_JUSTIFY);
+$sheet->getStyle("G$minRow:G$maxRow")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_DISTRIBUTED);
+$sheet->getStyle("{$minCol}3:{$maxCol}3")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_LEFT);
+$sheet->getStyle("{$minCol}4:{$maxCol}4")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT);
+$sheet->getStyle("{$minCol}5:{$maxCol}5")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER);
+$sheet->getStyle("{$minCol}6:{$maxCol}6")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY);
+$sheet->getStyle("{$minCol}7:{$maxCol}7")
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_DISTRIBUTED);
+
+$sheet->getCell('A9')->setValue('Center Continuous A9-C9');
+$sheet->getStyle('A9:C9')
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS);
+$sheet->getCell('A10')->setValue('Fill');
+$sheet->getStyle('A10')
+    ->getAlignment()
+    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_FILL);
+$sheet->setSelectedCells('A1');
+
+$helper->write($spreadsheet, __FILE__, ['Xlsx', 'Html', 'Xls']);
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Style/Alignment.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Style/Alignment.php
index 83ac5b0d..68edfaca 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Style/Alignment.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Style/Alignment.php
@@ -15,6 +15,27 @@ class Alignment extends Supervisor
     const HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY = 'justify';
     const HORIZONTAL_FILL = 'fill';
     const HORIZONTAL_DISTRIBUTED = 'distributed'; // Excel2007 only
+    private const HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS_LC = 'centercontinuous';
+    // Mapping for horizontal alignment
+    const HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX = [
+        self::HORIZONTAL_LEFT => self::HORIZONTAL_LEFT,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT => self::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER => self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS => self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY => self::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_FILL => self::HORIZONTAL_FILL,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_DISTRIBUTED => self::HORIZONTAL_DISTRIBUTED,
+    ];
+    // Mapping for horizontal alignment CSS
+    const HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_HTML = [
+        self::HORIZONTAL_LEFT => self::HORIZONTAL_LEFT,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT => self::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER => self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS => self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER,
+        self::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY => self::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY,
+        //self::HORIZONTAL_FILL => self::HORIZONTAL_FILL, // no reasonable equivalent for fill
+        self::HORIZONTAL_DISTRIBUTED => self::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY,
+    ];
 
     // Vertical alignment styles
     const VERTICAL_BOTTOM = 'bottom';
@@ -22,6 +43,45 @@ class Alignment extends Supervisor
     const VERTICAL_CENTER = 'center';
     const VERTICAL_JUSTIFY = 'justify';
     const VERTICAL_DISTRIBUTED = 'distributed'; // Excel2007 only
+    // Vertical alignment CSS
+    private const VERTICAL_BASELINE = 'baseline';
+    private const VERTICAL_MIDDLE = 'middle';
+    private const VERTICAL_SUB = 'sub';
+    private const VERTICAL_SUPER = 'super';
+    private const VERTICAL_TEXT_BOTTOM = 'text-bottom';
+    private const VERTICAL_TEXT_TOP = 'text-top';
+
+    // Mapping for vertical alignment
+    const VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX = [
+        self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM => self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_TOP => self::VERTICAL_TOP,
+        self::VERTICAL_CENTER => self::VERTICAL_CENTER,
+        self::VERTICAL_JUSTIFY => self::VERTICAL_JUSTIFY,
+        self::VERTICAL_DISTRIBUTED => self::VERTICAL_DISTRIBUTED,
+        // css settings that arent't in sync with Excel
+        self::VERTICAL_BASELINE => self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE => self::VERTICAL_CENTER,
+        self::VERTICAL_SUB => self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_SUPER => self::VERTICAL_TOP,
+        self::VERTICAL_TEXT_BOTTOM => self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_TEXT_TOP => self::VERTICAL_TOP,
+    ];
+
+    // Mapping for vertical alignment for Html
+    const VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_HTML = [
+        self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM => self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_TOP => self::VERTICAL_TOP,
+        self::VERTICAL_CENTER => self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE,
+        self::VERTICAL_JUSTIFY => self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE,
+        self::VERTICAL_DISTRIBUTED => self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE,
+        // css settings that arent't in sync with Excel
+        self::VERTICAL_BASELINE => self::VERTICAL_BASELINE,
+        self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE => self::VERTICAL_MIDDLE,
+        self::VERTICAL_SUB => self::VERTICAL_SUB,
+        self::VERTICAL_SUPER => self::VERTICAL_SUPER,
+        self::VERTICAL_TEXT_BOTTOM => self::VERTICAL_TEXT_BOTTOM,
+        self::VERTICAL_TEXT_TOP => self::VERTICAL_TEXT_TOP,
+    ];
 
     // Read order
     const READORDER_CONTEXT = 0;
@@ -202,8 +262,9 @@ class Alignment extends Supervisor
      */
     public function setHorizontal(string $horizontalAlignment)
     {
-        if ($horizontalAlignment == '') {
-            $horizontalAlignment = self::HORIZONTAL_GENERAL;
+        $horizontalAlignment = strtolower($horizontalAlignment);
+        if ($horizontalAlignment === self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS_LC) {
+            $horizontalAlignment = self::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS;
         }
 
         if ($this->isSupervisor) {
@@ -239,9 +300,7 @@ class Alignment extends Supervisor
      */
     public function setVertical($verticalAlignment)
     {
-        if ($verticalAlignment == '') {
-            $verticalAlignment = self::VERTICAL_BOTTOM;
-        }
+        $verticalAlignment = strtolower($verticalAlignment);
 
         if ($this->isSupervisor) {
             $styleArray = $this->getStyleArray(['vertical' => $verticalAlignment]);
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Html.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Html.php
index 6a400673..c115cabb 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Html.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Html.php
@@ -230,13 +230,6 @@ class Html extends BaseWriter
         $this->editHtmlCallback = $callback;
     }
 
-    const VALIGN_ARR = [
-        Alignment::VERTICAL_BOTTOM => 'bottom',
-        Alignment::VERTICAL_TOP => 'top',
-        Alignment::VERTICAL_CENTER => 'middle',
-        Alignment::VERTICAL_JUSTIFY => 'middle',
-    ];
-
     /**
      * Map VAlign.
      *
@@ -246,17 +239,9 @@ class Html extends BaseWriter
      */
     private function mapVAlign($vAlign)
     {
-        return array_key_exists($vAlign, self::VALIGN_ARR) ? self::VALIGN_ARR[$vAlign] : 'baseline';
+        return Alignment::VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_HTML[$vAlign] ?? '';
     }
 
-    const HALIGN_ARR = [
-        Alignment::HORIZONTAL_LEFT => 'left',
-        Alignment::HORIZONTAL_RIGHT => 'right',
-        Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER => 'center',
-        Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER_CONTINUOUS => 'center',
-        Alignment::HORIZONTAL_JUSTIFY => 'justify',
-    ];
-
     /**
      * Map HAlign.
      *
@@ -266,7 +251,7 @@ class Html extends BaseWriter
      */
     private function mapHAlign($hAlign)
     {
-        return array_key_exists($hAlign, self::HALIGN_ARR) ? self::HALIGN_ARR[$hAlign] : '';
+        return Alignment::HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_HTML[$hAlign] ?? '';
     }
 
     const BORDER_ARR = [
@@ -988,7 +973,10 @@ class Html extends BaseWriter
         $css = [];
 
         // Create CSS
-        $css['vertical-align'] = $this->mapVAlign($alignment->getVertical() ?? '');
+        $verticalAlign = $this->mapVAlign($alignment->getVertical() ?? '');
+        if ($verticalAlign) {
+            $css['vertical-align'] = $verticalAlign;
+        }
         $textAlign = $this->mapHAlign($alignment->getHorizontal() ?? '');
         if ($textAlign) {
             $css['text-align'] = $textAlign;
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Style.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Style.php
index b24b7533..0442c25d 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Style.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Style.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Xlsx;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Shared\StringHelper;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Shared\XMLWriter;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Alignment;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Border;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Borders;
 use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Conditional;
@@ -403,8 +404,14 @@ class Style extends WriterPart
 
         // alignment
         $objWriter->startElement('alignment');
-        $objWriter->writeAttribute('horizontal', (string) $style->getAlignment()->getHorizontal());
-        $objWriter->writeAttribute('vertical', (string) $style->getAlignment()->getVertical());
+        $vertical = Alignment::VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX[$style->getAlignment()->getVertical()] ?? '';
+        $horizontal = Alignment::HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX[$style->getAlignment()->getHorizontal()] ?? '';
+        if ($horizontal !== '') {
+            $objWriter->writeAttribute('horizontal', $horizontal);
+        }
+        if ($vertical !== '') {
+            $objWriter->writeAttribute('vertical', $vertical);
+        }
 
         $textRotation = 0;
         if ($style->getAlignment()->getTextRotation() >= 0) {
@@ -459,11 +466,13 @@ class Style extends WriterPart
 
         // alignment
         $objWriter->startElement('alignment');
-        if ($style->getAlignment()->getHorizontal() !== null) {
-            $objWriter->writeAttribute('horizontal', $style->getAlignment()->getHorizontal());
+        $horizontal = Alignment::HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX[$style->getAlignment()->getHorizontal()] ?? '';
+        if ($horizontal) {
+            $objWriter->writeAttribute('horizontal', $horizontal);
         }
-        if ($style->getAlignment()->getVertical() !== null) {
-            $objWriter->writeAttribute('vertical', $style->getAlignment()->getVertical());
+        $vertical = Alignment::VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_FOR_XLSX[$style->getAlignment()->getVertical()] ?? '';
+        if ($vertical) {
+            $objWriter->writeAttribute('vertical', $vertical);
         }
 
         if ($style->getAlignment()->getTextRotation() !== null) {
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentMiddleTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentMiddleTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d260a6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentMiddleTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Style;
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Shared\File;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Alignment;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Html;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Xlsx;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use ZipArchive;
+
+class AlignmentMiddleTest extends TestCase
+{
+    /** @var ?Spreadsheet */
+    private $spreadsheet;
+
+    /** @var string */
+    private $outputFileName = '';
+
+    protected function tearDown(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->spreadsheet !== null) {
+            $this->spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+            $this->spreadsheet = null;
+        }
+        if ($this->outputFileName !== '') {
+            unlink($this->outputFileName);
+            $this->outputFileName = '';
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function testCenterWriteHtml(): void
+    {
+        // Html Writer changes vertical align center to middle
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue('Cell1');
+        $sheet->getStyle('A1')
+            ->getAlignment()
+            ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_CENTER);
+        $writer = new HTML($this->spreadsheet);
+        $html = $writer->generateHtmlAll();
+        self::assertStringContainsString('vertical-align:middle', $html);
+        self::assertStringNotContainsString('vertical-align:center', $html);
+    }
+
+    public function testCenterWriteXlsx(): void
+    {
+        // Xlsx Writer uses vertical align center unchanged
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue('Cell1');
+        $sheet->getStyle('A1')
+            ->getAlignment()
+            ->setVertical(Alignment::VERTICAL_CENTER);
+        $this->outputFileName = File::temporaryFilename();
+        $writer = new Xlsx($this->spreadsheet);
+        $writer->save($this->outputFileName);
+        $zip = new ZipArchive();
+        $zip->open($this->outputFileName);
+        $html = $zip->getFromName('xl/styles.xml');
+        $zip->close();
+        self::assertStringContainsString('vertical="center"', $html);
+        self::assertStringNotContainsString('vertical="middle"', $html);
+    }
+
+    public function testCenterWriteXlsx2(): void
+    {
+        // Xlsx Writer changes vertical align middle to center
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue('Cell1');
+        $sheet->getStyle('A1')
+            ->getAlignment()
+            ->setVertical('middle');
+        $this->outputFileName = File::temporaryFilename();
+        $writer = new Xlsx($this->spreadsheet);
+        $writer->save($this->outputFileName);
+        $zip = new ZipArchive();
+        $zip->open($this->outputFileName);
+        $html = $zip->getFromName('xl/styles.xml');
+        $zip->close();
+        self::assertStringContainsString('vertical="center"', $html);
+        self::assertStringNotContainsString('vertical="middle"', $html);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentTest.php
index d10e3211..6f50ce22 100644
--- a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Style/AlignmentTest.php
@@ -9,10 +9,21 @@ use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 
 class AlignmentTest extends TestCase
 {
+    /** @var ?Spreadsheet */
+    private $spreadsheet;
+
+    protected function tearDown(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->spreadsheet !== null) {
+            $this->spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+            $this->spreadsheet = null;
+        }
+    }
+
     public function testAlignment(): void
     {
-        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
-        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $cell1 = $sheet->getCell('A1');
         $cell1->setValue('Cell1');
         $cell1->getStyle()->getAlignment()->setTextRotation(45);
@@ -31,8 +42,8 @@ class AlignmentTest extends TestCase
     public function testRotationTooHigh(): void
     {
         $this->expectException(PhpSpreadsheetException::class);
-        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
-        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $cell1 = $sheet->getCell('A1');
         $cell1->setValue('Cell1');
         $cell1->getStyle()->getAlignment()->setTextRotation(91);
@@ -42,8 +53,8 @@ class AlignmentTest extends TestCase
     public function testRotationTooLow(): void
     {
         $this->expectException(PhpSpreadsheetException::class);
-        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
-        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $cell1 = $sheet->getCell('A1');
         $cell1->setValue('Cell1');
         $cell1->getStyle()->getAlignment()->setTextRotation(-91);
@@ -52,8 +63,8 @@ class AlignmentTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testHorizontal(): void
     {
-        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
-        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $cell1 = $sheet->getCell('A1');
         $cell1->setValue('X');
         $cell1->getStyle()->getAlignment()->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_LEFT)->setIndent(1);
@@ -74,8 +85,8 @@ class AlignmentTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testReadOrder(): void
     {
-        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
-        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $this->spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $sheet = $this->spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $cell1 = $sheet->getCell('A1');
         $cell1->setValue('ABC');
         $cell1->getStyle()->getAlignment()->setReadOrder(0);