Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai

Its current restoration gives back an incomparable grandeur to this medieval (12th and 13th centuries) architectural masterpiece. See the five bell-towers that give Tournai a very special skyline. You'll also be amazed by the unusual but subtle juxtaposition of Romanesque (nave) and Gothic (choir) styles that makes this cathedral unique in North West Europe.

Inside, you'll be impressed by the volume of its nave (four levels) and the imposing rose window measuring seven metres in diameter. Take time to explore the extensive archaeological excavations that reveal elements of previous constructions, the first of which being a paleo-christian construction from the Gallo-Roman period.

Love stained glass? The cathedral features beautiful ones telling parts of Tournai's history: the struggle against the Merovingian kings Sigebert and Chilperic, the origin of the diocese, etc…

Enter the treasure room and admire two great shrines of the 13th century, a large tapestry known as the “tapisserie d’Arras” considered to be the oldest preserved choir hanging in the West, the chasuble of Thomas Becket (12th century), Archbishop of Canterbury, a coat worn by Charles Quint when he held the chapter of Toison d’Or in 1531.

Want to know more about the cathedral? Go to the Tourist Office located near the cathedral and watch the 20 minute film on its history, from its birth to its current form. Thanks to aerial views and the 3D techniques, you'll see the most hidden and hard-to-reach parts of the monument.