Tournai

Located on the Scheldt River 10 km from the French Border, Tournai is one of the oldest cities in Belgium, established by the Romans on the road from Cologne to France. The Franks of Merovingian dynasty chose Tournai as the seat of their kingdom for a time in the 5th century: Chlodewetch (who aquired the more familiar nickname Clovis from storytellers centuries after he died), was born there. Our Lady's Cathedral of Tournai is one of the most spectacular churches in Belgium. Another famous native of Tournai is Flemish master painter Roger de la Pasture, better known as Rogier van der Weyden.

At first view, Tournai seems to be a quiet provincial town buried deep in the Walloon province of Hainaut alongside the banks of the river Scheldt ( l'Escaut ). Don't be mistaken.

In the Middle Ages it was an extremely important center of wall tapestry weaving. Architecturally, it influenced most of the other cities which were situated alongside the Scheldt river, not in the least because of the export and trade of the 'blue-gray' natural stone which was found in stone quarries near to the city.