Ancien hotel des pompiers - Tournai

The Hôtel Cathédral is a former mansion, built in 1820 in neoclassical style by the Crombez family.

In 1856, the mansion was transferred to the city of Tournai, which installed volunteer firefighters there. The firefighters occupied the building until 1970, after which the building was converted into a traveler's hotel . The whole has a U-shaped layout. Two low side wings frame the main area around a courtyard closed off from the street by a wall with a central gate. The wall has a cast iron grille with the city coat of arms and the date 1820.

In the courtyard there are Tuscan pilasters , parapets decorated with semicircular women's heads and trompe l'oeil frames.
Inside, only the design of the large ceremony hall , attributed to the Tournai architect Simon Gahille, is still interesting. This room occupies the entire floor of the main area. It is accessed via a grand staircase with Empire style metal balustrades.

Willem Vandenameele