In southern Belgium the best works of art are in bronze, silver, gold, enamel and ivory.

This bronze font, located in the St. Bartholomew's Church, rests on 10 (originally 12) oxen symbolizing the 12 apostles. Several baptism scenes are depicted on the sides. The figures stand out in high relief and the quality of the smooth bronze and the finesse of the figures compare with the best work of that era.

In the 10th century Bishop Notger converted his territories into an ecclesiastic principality. Under his reign the Mosan art began to flourish , carved ivory, gold and silversmith work, enamels and cast iron, brass and copper. In the magnificent Mosan Renaissance Curtius building the famous Notger Gospel book illustrates the exquisite craftsmanship of the Liegeois at that time.

Located in the convent of the sisters of Notre Dame in Namur, the mosan collection includes gospel books, reliquaries and remarkable medallions with filigree and leaf decoration that show tiny hunting scenes.

The building itself is a beautiful 16th century building.   For connoisseurs there is a special treat. The Namurois, proud of their own Felicien Rops, built a museum that houses yet another beautiful collection.

In the middle of this city, which goes back to Merovingian times, rise the five towers of this most striking and most original monument. Each tower is different but they are all magnificent demonstrations of Romanesque art at its zenith and can be compared to those of Cluny which disappeared in the 19th century.

The church is a typical example of the Scaldian ( river Scheldt) style. The four-story nave and the transept are from the 12th century and the chancel, even taller than the nave, is in Gothic style and replaced the Romanesque in the 13th century. The contrast between the elegant Gothic chancel and the more solid nave is surprising at first.

The Treasury contains remarkable works: an Ecce Homo by Quinten Matsys, a Byzantine Cross of the 5th or 6th century, a 13th century Ivory Madonna and - the piece de resistance - the Reliquary of Our Lady (1205) in silver and gilded copper, by Nicolas Verdun. The high relief figures depict the life of Christ and the shrine is further adorned with magnificent medallions.

As most Belgian cities Tournai is proud of its Belfry, symbol of the freedom of the city, and theirs is the oldest in Belgium.   The Fine Arts museum is a building by the Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta.

In the 15th century the tapestry weaving industry reached its peak in Tournai. Many of the most beautiful specimens are in the possession of Royal courts all over Europe.