How to Spend a Day in Tournai

The last on the list of the main places we wanted to visit in Belgium was Tournai, a city on the western side of Belgium, right on the French border. Home most famously to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Tournai and the 12th-century Belfry, both UNESCO sites, Tournai sits along the banks of the Schedlt river. It's a compact place, easy to wander and has beautiful architecture to witness and some interesting stories to tell.

We had hoped to spot the symbolic Bridge of Holes, a 13th century structure that once spanned the River Schedlt. Unfortunately, it was dismantled in 2019, much to the dismay of the locals, to make way for bigger barges to be able to travel down the river. The moment saw the town in mourning and we felt sadness for the choice to destroy a piece of history for the benefit of economic gains. So, instead of seeing the beautiful bridge, we sat along the riverbanks and read articles allowed and cherished the memory of what once was.