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Cathédrale Notre Dame

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Dominating Tournai’s skyline are the five spires of its remarkable cathedral, which survived WWII bombs only for a freak 1999 tornado to compromise its stability. It'll remain a vast building site for another decade; though work on the five towers was completed in 2018. Despite the scaffolding, the interior remains a fascinating example of evolving architectural styles, from the magnificent Romanesque nave through a curious bridging transept into an early-Gothic choir whose soaring pillars bend disconcertingly.

The wood-panelled little Chapelle St-Louis is under restoration and its large canvases by Rubens and Jacob Jordaens are currently hidden, but there are some impressive paintings, tapestries and relics in the treasury.


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1. Trésor de la Cathédrale

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There are some impressive pieces in the treasury in the heart of Tournai's cathedral, including a fabulous 'Last Judgement' châsse (casket), a striking…

2. Beffroi

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Belgium’s oldest belfry is 72m high with a narrow 257-step spiral staircase that becomes even narrower higher up. There's a good multilingual display on…

3. Grand Place

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Tournai’s gorgeous triangular main square is ringed with cafes in fine gable-fronted guildhouses merrily flying guild banners. Kids play in ‘dare-you’…

4. Halle Aux Draps

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Tournai's former cloth hall is the Grand Place's finest building, with an elegant gilt-detailed facade and a brick-vaulted interior that opens for…

5. Musée de Folklore

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This is a lovable and sizeable warren of fascinating city-relevant relics and ethnographic artefacts. It's all in French, but many of the cameo scenes are…

6. Église St-Quentin

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Église St-Quentin is a hefty Romanesque church with a 12th-century nave, posterior Gothic features and a striking red-tiled roof. When viewed from near…

7. Tour du Cygne

0.17 MILES

One of two towers preserved from the original 1202 city wall, this is a surprising sight at the end of a nondescript lane.