Sightseeing in Lille - what to see. Complete travel guide

Lille is the fourth largest city of France that perfectly combines culture and history of Flanders, France and Norway. It is located in Nord-Pas-de-Calais region and is known as the commercial center of Europe. Lille is located on the crossing of five large auto routes.

The architecture of the city is very colorful and diversified because it combines various influences of the French style and art that have been brought to this place by the king Louis XIV, unforgettable Flemish architecture and a part of Spanish Netherlands. In Lille there are numerous interesting streets, cafes, restaurants, and souvenir outlets that are simply must be visited.

Lille is famous for its museums and historical quarters, the central square named Grand Place and the old building of exchange that once has been a large trading center and the best place to buy quality clothes. Grandiose heritage of Lille is kept in the halls of its museums. The most popular museums of Lille are Museum of Natural History and Geology of Lille famous for its aquariums and an insectarium; Museum of General De Gaulle; Museum of Fine Arts, which rich collections feature works of such great artists as Botticelli, Rubens, Delacroix, Titian, Goya, Veronese – this is the second largest picture gallery of France after Louvre. Parisian Gates is one of the largest architectural sights of Lille. The gates were built to celebrate the joining of the city to the territory of France in XVII century. Today’s Lille combines the elegance of old buildings and modern architecture style. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In a luxurious historical building, is located the Museum of the Hospital of Jeanne de Flandre. It is located in the heart of the Old Town. In the first half of the 13th century, this building housed a hospital, which was founded by order of the Countess Jeanne de Flandre. She donated her own palace for the hospital. Despite the fact that the building changed its status overnight, it retained its former luxurious finish. Today visitors of the museum can admire the beautiful decoration, some elements of which have been preserved since the 15th century. The building contains a rich collection of works of art and antique furniture, as well as sculptures and porcelain products.

Lille has many beautiful churches. One of the most unusual is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Treille. It was built in 1854 and is a spectacular monument in the Neo-Gothic style. Looking at the cathedral now, it is difficult to assume that it was built more than 150 years ago, as the building looks very modern. Not so long ago, the last reconstruction of the cathedral was completed, during which it was given a new glazed facade. Inside, it was possible to preserve the beautiful stained-glass windows and other elements of the old decoration.

The most unusual cultural institution is the La Piscine Museum, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Lille. This museum was opened in the converted old bathing facilities. Today, its exhibits are placed directly in the swimming baths, which have long not been used for their intended purpose. This museum stores an extensive collection of works of art and designer accessories. There is even a collection of exclusive designer fabrics. Due to the unique atmosphere and decoration, this museum has no equal.

Lille has partially preserved the old fortifications. Their oldest element is the Noble Tower. Its construction was started in 1402. It became the highest of 65 towers included in the fortification complex. This tower was undefeated until 1667. After it suffered during one of the next battles, it was quickly restored. Towards the end of the 19th century, the tower lost its strategic importance and came to desolation. However, by 1922 it had been completely restored and recognized as one of the main historical monuments of the city. Now near the tower there is a memorial dedicated to the victims of World War II.