Tours is a city in western France, located along the Loire River. The city was historically a Gallic city, which after the Roman conquest of the region was called Turonensis or Caesarodunum. In the 4th century, Martin of Tours was bishop in the city, and his tomb has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. Tours’ status as an important ecclesiastical center was emphasized by the fact that councils were held in Tours in 461, 567 and 755.

In 732, the Battle of Tours, also called the Battle of Poitiers, was fought in the area, and Karl Martell won the battle, which became a turning point in the Christian Kingdom of France’s fight against Muslim conquerors. In the following centuries, Tours was raided several times by Vikings. The city grew continuously, and a large textile industry developed, which, however, disappeared again after the consequences of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Tours remained a regional center and it suffered great damage during the Second World War.

Today you can enjoy pleasant walks along the Loire and in the streets of Tours in the old town, which is south of the river. The modern center is located along the Rue Nationale, which runs south from the Place Porte de Loire. Along the street are, you can visit the church Église Saint-Julien, which was built as a Romanesque church from 1240. In the church you can see several glass mosaics from the 20th century, which were installed after the destruction of the Second World War.

Next to the church, you can visit the Musée du Compagnonnage, where you can see the history of different crafts and their beautiful works. Rue Nationale is also Tours’ main street with a nice impression of the many white buildings that dominate the streetscape in the city. On the Place Jean Jaurès you can see Tours’ town hall, which was designed in an elegant Neo-Renaissance style by the local architect Victor Laloux. The town hall was built 1896-1904 and stands as one of the city’s landmarks. From Place Jean Jaurès and the modern Tours you can walk towards the old town, which is centered around the lovely Place Plumereau, where you can see some of the town’s old half-timbered houses.

It is also in this area that you can see the Basilique Saint-Martin de Tours, a beautiful basilica dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. The current basilica was built between 1886 and 1925, and as the first church on the site, it is located on the spot where Saint Martin is buried. Opposite the church you can see the Tour Charlemagne, which is a preserved ruin of the former basilica, which was destroyed at the end of the 18th century.

Cathédrale Saint-Gatien is the name of Tours’ impressive cathedral. It was built 1170-1547 on what was then the road through the city from Paris in the north. The cathedral was built through the Gothic period, and the beautifully ornate facade was made from 1426 until the completion of the church. In the church, you can see an impressive and period-typical interior with a beautiful rose window. In this part of the city, you can also see Tours’ fine opera house and the Musée des Beaux Arts, located in the old bishop’s site.

If you go north from the cathedral, you come to the city’s castle, Château de Tours, which is located along the Loire. The castle was built in the 11th century but was rebuilt several times before it was destroyed in the 18th century. After this, the old towers were repurposed, and today serve as a spot with exhibitions in the fields of history and art.