Tournai cathedral is one of the most beautiful religious monuments in the Western world. This masterpiece replaced the place of several churches dating from the introduction of Christianity in our regions. The present building belongs to two different styles in architecture due to the duration of the construction : Romanesque and Gothic.
The nave and the transept, in Romanesque style, were built in the XIIth Century, the choir, in Gothic style, was built in the XIIIth century.
The transept is surmounted by five bell towers that form the cathedral's magnificent crown. From the 'Place de l'Evêché', you can admire a 26 meter wide portal which contains a gothic porch from the end of the XIIIth century that has recently been restored. This porch decorated with sculptures is the work of Tournai sculptors.

Between the two doors, there is a statue of the Virgin, who is called Our Lady of the Sick. The side gates (Mantile gate facing the Scheldt and Capitole gate facing the Belfry are decorated with beautiful sets of Romanesque sculptures).

The cathedral is home to an exceptional heritage, including wall-paintings in the transept ( XIIth century), stained-glass windows dating from the Middle Age, which represent the separation of the dioceses of Tournai and Noyon in 1146 and illustrate the story of Kings Sigebert and Childeric, the Renaissance roodscreen that closes off the choir (XVIth century) and the High Altar. In the St Louis Chapel, you can admire a masterpiece by Pierre-Paul Rubens 'The deliverance of souls from the Purgatory'.

Last but not least, the Treasury is especially interesting. The two XIIIth century reliquary chests, the shrines 'Notre-Dame' (1205) and 'Saint-Eleuthère' (1247) as well as the Holy Cross, known as Byzantine Cross (+/-1000), or gold and silver goods deserve a special mention. A number of chalices, ciboriums and monstrances, Merovingian and Carolingian metal items are also displayed in this room.