Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city on the English Channel and in the past an important port in contacts between England and France. Due to considerable damage from World War II, only a small part of its old buildings have survived to this day.
The history of the city begins in the 4th century AD, when a Roman military camp and port were established here. It was from here that the Romans set off to conquer Britain. In the Middle Ages, the city was one of the points of the Franco-English rivalry, which was often besieged.
From the Middle Ages, the Watch Tower in Boulogne has survived to this day. The local Gothic Basilica of Notre-Dame de Boulogne was demolished during the French Revolution. It was rebuilt with a neoclassical dome at the beginning of the 19th century. The crypt of the Notre Dame Basilica survived intact.
A big attraction for tourists visiting Boulogne-sur-Mer is the Nauticaa National Sea Center. This is one of the largest marine aquariums in Europe. It is divided into sections showing life in seas around the world, from the tropical to the Arctic. There are also modern exhibitions devoted to research on the seas and oceans.
