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Tournai or Tournay (/ tʊərˈneɪ / toor-NAY, French: [tuʁnɛ] ⓘ; Picard: Tornai; Walloon: Tornè [tɔʀnɛ] ⓘ; Dutch: Doornik [ˈdoːrnɪk] ⓘ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Province of Hainaut, Belgium.
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Tournai
- Grand Place
- Belfry
- Musée D’Histoire Naturelle de Tournai
- Maison Tournaisienne
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Église Saint-Jacques
- Musée de La Tapisserie de Tournai
- Hôtel de Ville
- Église Saint-Quentin
One of two UNESCO inscribed monuments on Grand Place, Tournai Cathedral is a magnificent blend of Romanesque, and Gothic and easily recognised by its five solemn square towers. More than 130 metres long and with a maximum height of 84 metres, the proportions of this monument are vast when you consider its age. The nave went up at the very beginning...
Tournai’s triangular main square was outside the city walls in its earliest days some 2,000 years ago. At that time this expansive space was a Gallo-Roman cemetery, and only became a market place in the Carolingian era, around the 8th century, when European trade was reborn. We’ll talk about all of the big sights on Grand Place in this article, but...
The 72-metre freestanding bell-tower on Grand Place is one of 56 belfries in France and Belgium that have earned a single UNESCO World Heritage listing. The story of Tournai’s belfry begins around 1188, after Philip II of France granted a town charter, part of which allowed for a communal bell. This makes it the oldest belfry in Belgium, and, as th...
In 2028 this natural history museum will celebrate its 200th anniversary. Since 1839 it has been housed in a Neoclassical building on the site of the former Abbey of Saint-Martin, which was dissolved in 1797. This was the first museum in Belgium to be accessible to the public, and owed its early growth to the patronage of King Leopold I and the lea...
You can learn all about Tournai’s inhabitants at this museum in a 17th-century house on a little lane off Grand Place. All walks of life and every social stratum is covered, from nobility down to Tournai’s orphans. You can get to know all of the city’s many trades, at recreated workshops for weavers, potters and printers. In 23 different exhibition...
The famed Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta designed this art museum, built on the site of the Abbey of Saint-Martin in 1928. The design was a response to security fears after the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911, and has the shape of a turtle or flying squirrel, with radiating rooms converging on a sculpture hall, allowing a single ...
In the Middle Ages Tournai was a crucial stopping point on the Way of St James, a cross-Europe pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This church on Rue du Palais Saint-Jacques would have been built for pilgrims in the 12th century, and was enlarged in the 13th and 14th centuries in a transitional style unique to this city and known a...
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Tournai was a major centre for the art of tapestry weaving, and you can view some astonishing examples from that period at this museum in a handsome Neoclassical townhouse. These historical tapestries are astounding for their size and their narrative richness, but the museum also keeps textile art alive in the here a...
In a sweet formal park, Tournai’s city hall sits opposite the Museum of Fine Arts, and has an interesting past. This Neoclassical building, completed in 1763, was in fact the residential palace for the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Martin. The history of that monastery goes right back to the 11th century, and it was dissolved little more than three de...
The bare, castle-like facade of this Romanesque church is hard to miss among the gabled buildings on the west end of Grand Place. Église Saint-Quentin grew up in the 12th century, and was linked to the enormous Gallo-Roman cemetery that used to be Grand Place. The oldest section is the nave, austere and unadorned, while the pointed vaults in the tr...
Dec 2, 2023 · Tournai is a Belgian city with a rich history, stunning architecture and vibrant markets. Learn about its top things to do, such as the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the Belfry, the Grand Place and the museums.
- Visit the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Tournai. When I visited Tournai, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame was an absolute highlight. It’s not just another cathedral; it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site that perfectly blends Romanesque and Gothic styles.
- Explore Grand Place. Tournai’s Grand Place, with its unique triangular shape and the calming sound of flowing fountains. It’s a lively area, filled with lots of cafes and restaurants (fun fact: Tournai has a surprising number of places to eat!).
- Climb the Belfry. Get ready for panoramic views like no other! When I made the climb, the 360-degree views of the city were stunning. This tower isn’t just a lookout point; it’s a historic landmark dating back to the 12th century.
- Discover the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle de Tournai. Here’s a gem that not everyone knows about: This was Belgium’s first museum open to the public. While it’s modern in its approach, the museum has the charm of a 19th-century cabinet of curiosities.
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Discover Tournai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a rich history and culture. Find out the latest news, events, activities, museums, and attractions in the city.
Tournai’s Cathedral of Notre Dame is a cruciform 11th–12th-century basilica, one of the finest in Europe, with five massive towers, a Gothic choir, and 13th-century reliquary shrines; it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. The city contains other notable medieval churches.
Things to Do in Tournai, Belgium: See Tripadvisor's 15,479 traveler reviews and photos of Tournai tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in October. We have reviews of the best places to see in Tournai. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
