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Tournai Things To Do

View from the city - Tournai
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by DanielF
Reviews and photos of Tournai attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Tournai sightseeing.
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Tournai Things To DoTips 1 - 10 of 75  
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Grand Place
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on March 30, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    This is the centre of the city, shaped as a triangle; it is located at the crossing of the roads going to Lille, Koln, Boulogne and Kortrijk.

    Work of Aimable Dutrieux (a local sculptor) the statue of Christine de Lalaing is standing in the middle since 1863. This woman organised the defense of Tournai when it was besieged by the Spanish in 1583

    The square has recently been renovated: less parking and more space for the people! Even if it is not so convenient for the car drivers, this is a nice move… As soon as the sun is shining, several cafes install their terraces and the crowd is rushing to drink a beer in this wonderful place!...

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    Le Fort Rouge
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on February 15, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    Almost a ruin a couple of years ago, it has recently been renovated as part of the XII Cesars project. This name comes from the name of an ancient house that was previously built on this site.

    The tower was thought to be part of the first communal wall but recent excavations found a previous tower that was indeed part of this first wall. It is still unclear what was the purpose of this new tower.

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  • Address: Rue Perdue
  • Website: http://www.requalificationurbaine.be/Pages/Exemples/ExempleTournai.htm
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    The Church of St Jacques
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on February 21, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    Alreadfy there in the 12th century, this church was initially outside the city. It was an halt for the pilgrims coming from Flanders and going to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle.

    Later on, In the 13th century the church has been included in the city when a second communal wall has been built.

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    Place de Lille
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • By Djinn76 on March 29, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    Not far from the Grand Place this is a smaller square. It has also been renovated recently but is way less popular
    It was previously called "Markiet as vakes - vieux Marche aux vaches. In the middle-age, that was a market where cattle and horses were traded.

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    The church of the Redemptorists
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on February 21, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    Built in 1862 in a romanesque revival style by the architect Bruyenne, this church is currently not used anymore for the cult.
    It has recently been for sale but I don't know who is the lucky owner...

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  • Address: Quai des Salines
  • Directions: On the left side of the Escaut river, not far from the Pont des Trous
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    Church of Ste Marie Madeleine
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on February 21, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Tournai Things To Do
    by Djinn76
    In 1251, the bischop Walter de Marvis decided to create a new parish by splitting the St Jacques one. This church has then been built in 1252 in gothic style.

    It stopped being used for the catholic cult in 1968. It is currently in pretty bad shape and need an urgent renovation. A potential project could have been to turn the church into a Casterman museum. However this is not considered anymore and its future use is still unclear.

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  • Address: Rue de la Madeleine
  • Directions: Close to the Rond-point de l'Europe
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    St Martin Abbey
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on January 11, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Cloister of the Abbey - Tournai
    Cloister of the Abbey
    by Djinn76
    At least as spectacular as the cathedral, the Abbey of St Martin has been closed in 1797 and destroyed by the French revolution.

    From this abbey founded in the 11th century, only three buildings have survived these barbarian destructions: the 'abbatial palace' (now used as the town hall), a Romanesque crypt and a part of the cloister.

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    Medieval Walls
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on January 11, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • Part of the medieval wall... - Tournai
    Part of the medieval
    wall...
    by Djinn76
    At the end of the 13th century, Tournai growing bigger, a second communal wall had to be built. It mainly follows the actual boulevard.
    The Bridge of the Hole/Pont des Trous was part of it.
    At the other end of the city, the St Jean and Marvis tower are other remaining of this wall. There is a park in front of the commercial center called "Les Bastions" where you can walk along a part of the wall.

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    Museum of Natural History
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on March 28, 2004
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    • Museum of Natural History - Tournai
    Museum of Natural History
    by Djinn76
    The history of this museum is quite interesting, open in 1829; it is the oldest museum of Belgium. It has received very precious collection and rare specimen. However it declined for a time and in 1959, was quite in a bad shape. The new conservator managed to put it back on track but in the early 80s it had to be renovated again. More recently the museum has received some important investment and has completely been redesigned.
    At the sight of their website, I'd gladly make a new visit to see the result.
    As a side note, this museum has also been a source of inspiration for Henri Vernes, the author of 'Bob Morane' (a famous comics).

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  • Address: Cour d'honneur de l'Hotel de Ville
  • Phone: +32 (0) 69 33 23 43
  • Directions: In front of the town hall
  • Website: http://www.museum.tournai.be/
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    The Museum of Fine Arts
  • Tip Rating:
    • Djinn76
  • Updated By Djinn76 on January 13, 2004
  • Tournai Page by Djinn76
    • A building from Victor Horta... - Tournai
    A building from Victor
    Horta...
    by Djinn76
    Tournai has a museum of fine arts for quite some time. In 18-something, it was located in the actual Cloth Hall/Halle aux Draps on the Grand Place. The pretty bad state of this building at that time pushed the museum out and it was temporarily relocated into the Town Hall.
    That’s only until Victor Horta, the famous Art Nouveau architect, designed a brand new building for the museum. The inauguration took place in 1928.

    I would say the masterpiece of the museum is ‘Argenteuil’ painted in 1874 by Edouard Manet. You can also find other impressionist painting from Seurat, Monet, Van Gogh,…
    Older style such as Bruegel, Rubens or Jordaens are also shown and since Tournai was a recognized painting center in the middle age, our local artists also have a good place in the museum: Roger de la Pasture / Van der Weyden or Louis Gallait to name a couple of them…

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  • Address: Enclos Saint-Martin
  • Phone: +32 (0)69 22 20 43
  • Directions: Close to the town hall
  • Website: http://www.tournai.be/VILLE-TOURNAI.ASP?REF=FR144
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    More Tournai Tips
    Overview
         		Hotels and Accommodations
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    Things To Do
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    Transportation
    Tips: 7 - Photos: 7    		Restaurants
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    Shopping
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    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 1    		Warnings or Dangers
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    Local Customs
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    Sports Travel
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 3    		General Tips
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    Flights
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