182 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp268–9 and pp294–5
Tournai: Cathédrale Notre-Dame
One of the great landmarks of Belgium, Cathédrale Notre-Dame
has a long history. Tournai’s first bishop, St Eleutherius, built
a cathedral on this site in the 5th century. The existing church,
however, was begun in the 12th century. Construction started at
the western end in Romanesque style, and progressed eastwards,
becoming Gothic in the 13th-century chancel. The impressive
interior was once more elaborate, but much of the decoration
was destroyed by Protestant iconoclasts in 1566. Considerable
damage was also inflicted by German bombing in 1940. A tor-
nado struck in 1999, highlighting the fragility of the building,
and the need to progress with its restoration. In 2000, the
cathedral was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Rose Window
Set in the west façade, the
rose window was installed
in the 19th century, replac-
ing a Gothic window from- The stained glass
depicts Virgin Mary in the
centre and the 16 compart-
ments portray the Prophets.
West Porch
The west façade has an
arched 14th-century porch
decorated with a line of stat-
ues dating from between the
14th and 17th centuries.
. The Five Towers
The cluster of pyramid-tipped
towers soaring from the
transept and crossing,
impart a distinctive indi-
viduality to the cathedral.
Completed in the early
13th century, they reach
a height of 83 m (272 ft).
The central tower, the
oldest, is a “lantern
tower”, allowing light
into the crossing
between the nave
and the transept.STAR FEATURES. The Five Towers
. Rood Screen
. Treasury
The Chapelle St Louis
contains paintings by
Jordaens and Rubens.The Romanesque nave
has three external tiers
of rounded arches. Two
flanking aisles help support
its high vaulted ceiling.