TOURNAY (Doornik), an important town iu the province of Hainault, in the kingdom of Belgium, 160 miles by railway S.W. from Brussels, and 47 miles S. from Ghent. This town was called Tornacus in the 5th century, when it was seized by the barbariaus who overran Gaul It was among the early acquisitions of the Franks, and was fur a while the capital of Clovis. It was besieged and taken (1513) by the English under Henry VIII. Having reverted to the French, it was agaiu taken (1521) by the count of Nassau, one of the generals of the emperor Charles V. and ceded by the treaty of Madrid (1525) to the emperor. During the religious troubles of the Netherlands, the Protestants committed great disorders hero (1566); and the town, having joined in the revolt against Spain, was taken (1581) by the Drake of Parma, and remained under the dominion of Spain. It was taken by Louis XIV. (1667) and ceded to France by the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668) : but having been nail' taken (1709) by the allies under Marlborough and Eugene, it was at the peace of Utrecht (1713) ceded with the rest of the Spanish Netherlands to Austria. It was taken (1745) by the French under Louis XV., but restored at the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1743. It was repeatedly taken (1792-94) in the early part of the war of the French revolution.
Tourney is situated on the Schelde, which divides tho town into two parts, the old town on the left bank and the new town ou the right : the old town occupies the site of the Tornacus of the ancients: the new town is of later origin, and is distinguished from the old by the neatness and straightness of its streets, by its well-built houses, and by its handsome quay planted with trees, which forms the must frequented promenade of the city. The cathedral iu the old town is
a large and fine gothic building with several towers, surmounted with spires. The interior of the church is adorned with some of the paintings of Rubens, several fine marble sculptures, and a profusion of finely executed ornamental carvings. The tomb of the Fraukish king Childeric I. was discovered nearly two centuries ago, in clemoliah iug an old house, near the cathedral The church of St.-Martin, the episcopal palace, the town-hall, the bell-tower, and the hospital for old clergymen, are among the other principal edifices. The town is fortified, and is entered by seven gates : it has several suburbs.
The population of Tourney is about 40,000. The manufactures of the town are important, and comprehend woollen-stuffs, cotton-yarn, printed cottons, dimities and other cotton goods, carpets, hosiery, linen, ewnoakin, paper, hats, leather, earthenware, porcelain, oil, liqueurs, bronze, Ise. There are dye-houses and lime-kilns, and several large flour-mills. Considerable trade is carried on. Vessels of 150 tons r.ach the town by the Schelde, and it is connected by railways with all the important towns of Belgium and the north of France. The town has a commercial court, a chamber of commerce, an exchange, a theatre, an academy of drawiog, sculpture, and archi tecture, an orphan-house, five hospitals, several churches, and a public library of 22,000 volumes. Touruay is the seat of n bishopric which dates from the 5th century ; the bishop is a suffragan of the arch.
bishop of Mechelen or Malines.