Doornik

How often do you think about the Roman Empire? In Tournai’s triangular Grand Place, according to some sources, you stand in the middle of a junction of several Roman pilgrimages. Originating in the 1st century AD, Tournai is one of the oldest cities in Belgium. Tournai’s historical and contemporary urban planning and architecture reflect the long history that followed. When the city was rebuilt after the 1940 bombings, the emphasis was on architecture based on the typologies and materials that shaped the historical city. In Tournai, modernity equals great respect for the city’s heritage.

What better way to take in this rich architecture than to tour the city sketching? That day, the cameras stay at home and we hit the road with sketchbook and drawing materials. Meet at the front of the station where Studio Paola Viganò has recently redesigned the public space. We cross over to the left bank of the Scheldt via the 13th-century Pont des Trous, a military river bridge renovated in 2022 by Bureau Greisch. In the architecture faculty by Aires Mateus, we take our seats among students to sketchily observe the meeting of historical and contemporary architecture. During our walk, we pass some iconic Art nouveau houses (by Gustave Strauven, Georges De Porre, Paul Clerbaux, among others) until we reach the Museum of Fine Arts by grandmaster Victor Horta.

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