Saint-Omer is a historic trading city and one of the most important centers of former Flanders. For centuries, associated with the production of textiles and trade in agricultural products, to this day cultivates the traditions of fairs, and in its center you can see many historic buildings.
Although the city suffered many losses during World War II, you can still see interesting objects here. The most important of these is Saint-Omer's main attraction, the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Built from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, it is a mixture of styles from early gothic to renaissance elements.
The origins of Saint-Omer are related to the founding of the Benedictine abbey in the 7th century. The monks, in addition to their spirituality and learning, also brought new ways of dealing here. Almost from the beginning, they began to irrigate the plains surrounding the city and plant various types of vegetables on them. Today, the plain, cut by canals, is still largely used for agricultural purposes, but a large part of it is occupied by the Marais Audomarois, marshes and wetlands under UNESCO protection, inhabited by numerous species of water and marsh birds.
To this day, only ruins remain of the abbey, but when visiting Saint-Omer, you can find stones and bricks from it in many buildings in the center. Saint-Omer's attractions include the former royal residence of Hotel Colbert, which today houses the Archaeological Museum, and the Baroque Jesuit Church.
