In the Middle Ages, Tours was an important pilgrimage city thanks to the relics of soldier-turned-evangelist St Martin (c 317–97). In the 5th century a basilica was constructed above his tomb; in the 13th century it was replaced by an enormous Romanesque church, of which only two towers, Tour Charlemagne and Tour de l’Horloge, remain. Modern-day Basilique St-Martin, a domed, neo-Byzantine structure, was built from 1886 to 1925.
Basilique St-Martin
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
18.77 MILES
Spanning the languid Cher River atop a graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux. It's hard not to be moved and…
8.67 MILES
Villandry's six glorious landscaped gardens à la française are some of France's finest, with more than 6 hectares of kitchen gardens, cascading flowers,…
-
0.3 MILES
This extraordinary museum – an absolute gem! – spotlights France's renowned compagnonnages, guild organisations of skilled craftspeople who have created…
13.74 MILES
Romantic, moat-ringed Azay-le-Rideau is celebrated for its elegant turrets, perfectly proportioned windows, delicate stonework and steep slate roofs…
13.81 MILES
The most medieval of the Loire châteaux, Langeais – built in the 1460s – looks much as it did at the tail end of the Middle Ages, with crenellated…
26.03 MILES
Surrounded by massive walls, this hilltop castle – offering fabulous views across town, river and countryside – is split into three sections separated by…
14.89 MILES
The most exciting Loire château to open to visitors in years, Gaillard is the earliest expression of the Italian Renaissance in France. Begun in 1496, the…
14.56 MILES
It was at the invitation of François I that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), aged 64, took up residence in this grand manor house, built in 1471. An admirer…
Nearby attractions
0.05 MILES
One of the last vestiges of Tours' 13th-century, Romanesque Basilique St-Martin.
0.19 MILES
Hidden behind an Italianate façade, this gorgeous early-Renaissance residence – visible through a stone gate – was built for a wealthy merchant around…
0.28 MILES
Most of this Gothic church, once part of a Benedictine abbey, dates from the mid-1200s.
0.29 MILES
Built in the 1840s, Tours' neoclassical courthouse has an imposing colonnade facing place Jean Jaurès.
0.3 MILES
This extraordinary museum – an absolute gem! – spotlights France's renowned compagnonnages, guild organisations of skilled craftspeople who have created…
0.33 MILES
Built from 1896 to 1904, Tours' monumental city hall was designed to project both republican values and municipal prestige.
0.55 MILES
With its flying buttresses, gargoyles and twin Renaissance-style towers (70m) – and, inside, Gothic vaulting, dazzling stained glass and huge baroque…