CULTURAL DAY TRIP to TOURNAI

The beautiful station of Tournai was built by architect Hendrik Beyaert. His portrait was on our old 100-franc notes! In the immediate vicinity, there are still some beautiful Art Nouveau houses. The station was built near the vanished city wall, and we find a city tower there - la grosse tour - which dates back to the time of English rule (1513 - 1519). Henry VIII had a castle here that has unfortunately disappeared!. What are we visiting? We walk, among other things, along the place where the grave of Childeric - the father of Clovis - was found. Opposite that are the oldest Romanesque civil buildings in Belgium. We walk over the Scheldt bridge and discover a statue of Georges Grard who is also known in Ostend. The statue De Zee or fat Mathilde is by his hand. We walk to the belfry - the oldest in Belgium - and arrive at the market with its rebuilt cloth hall. Then we visit the museum of Schone Kunsten which was designed by Victor Horta to house the Van Cutsem collection. We also take the time to watch 2 films about the history of Tournai and the Cathedral. And....of course, we visit the cathedral which was built at the turning point of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Also, admire the beautiful rood screen that can still be seen intact here!! At noon, we have a two-course meal with coffee/tea in a local restaurant near the market. Guido Deloof is our guide during this day trip. Included in the price: the train journey, the guides, the visit to the museums, and lunch.