Tournai Cathedral, Belgium

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai or the Tournai Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in the center of Tournai, Belgium. The construction of the cathedral started in the first third of the 12th century on even older foundations. The transept was built in Romanesque style like the main nave but the transept already features elements of early Gothic style. The transition from Romanesque to Gothic style is even more obvious in vaults added at the end of 12th century and the five bell towers built above the transept.

The original Romanesque choir was demolished and replaced with a choir in a fully developed Gothic style in the 13th century. Because of its unique architecture combining Romanesque and Gothic styles the Tournai Cathedral was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites in year 2000.

The Tournai Cathedral houses large number of medieval art works by Jacob Jordaens, Pierre-Paul Rubens, Quinten Metsijs, Lancelot Blondeel and many other prominent artists. Worth to see are also wall-paintings in the transept from 12th century, stained-glass windows and the cathedral's Treasury which contains collection of priceless religious relics and antiquities such as the Shrine of Our Lady made by Nicholas de Verdun in 1205, a 10th century Byzantine cross, two 13th century reliquary chests and clothing belonging Saint-Thomas Becket.

Tournai Cathedral, Belgium

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