Kortrijk

Kortrijk (French: Courtrai, sometimes referred to in English as Courtray) is a city in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the arrondissement of Kortrijk, which comprises some 284,581 inhabitants (1 January 2014). The wider municipality comprises the city of Kortrijk proper and the towns of Aalbeke, Bellegem, Bissegem, Heule, Kooigem, Marke, and Rollegem.

The city is situated on the Leie River, 42 km (26 miles) southwest of Ghent and 25 km (15 miles) northeast of Lille in France. Both Kortrijk and Lille are part of the same transnational Eurodistrict urban area with around 1,900,000 inhabitants.

As the biggest city of southern West Flanders, Kortrijk has many schools, a university, hospitals and shopping streets.

Understand

Kortrijk is a medium city, it has a good balance of tradition and innovation/modernism. It has always been famous for shopping, and in 2010 a big shopping centre was opened in the heart of the city. There are numerous traffic-free shopping zones, and lots historical sites in the city centre. Outside the centre there are some less developed hoods, but never really bad neighbourhoods.

Kortrijk is a rather safe city. Suburbs/satellite cities like Menen have to endure mainly burglary criminality from youth and gangsters, but Kortrijk is rather safe.

The city is known as the Guldensporenstad (City of the Golden Spurs), after the battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302. It used to be the centre of the linen industry and is still known as an important textile industry region.

See

Museums

• ⊙Kortrijk 1302, Begijnhofpark, ☎ +32 56 277850. May-Sept: Tue-Sun: 10:00—18:00. Closed on Mondays. Oct-Apr: Tue-Sun: 10:00—18:00. Closed on Mondays. An interactive museum showing you the Battle of the Golden Spurs (11th of July 1302). This battle is historical because it was one of the first battles where a peasant-based army defeated a knights army. After the battle, the spurs of the fallen horses were kept as a victory sign. The battle gave Flanders its regional holiday. €6 normal ticket. €4 reduced ticket. Free for children up to 12. (updated May 2017)
• Broelmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts). Situated in an old 18th-century mansion. Mostly contains regional artists (f.i. Roelant Savery) and an unique collection of ceramic. Closed for renewal. Will open in 2018 with a different name and concept. (updated May 2017)
• ⊙Texture (Museum of Flax and river Lys), Noordstraat 28, ☎ +32 56 277470. May-Sept: Tue-Sun: 10:00—18:00. Closed on Mondays. Oct-Apr: Tue-Sun: 10:00—17:00. Closed on Mondays. New museum that opened in 2014 on the banks of the Lys (Leie) river. Shows a historical image of the flax industry in Kortrijk and the surroundings. €6 normal ticket. €4 reduced ticket. Free for children up to 12. (updated May 2017)
• Groeninge Abbey.
• Agricultural Museum. In Bissegem.

Historical buildings

• ⊙City Hall (Stadhuis), ☎ +32 56 277000. (updated Jun 2017)
• ⊙Belfry (Belfort), Grote Markt. UNESCO World Heritage site
• ⊙Begijnhof. The scenic beguinage (UNESCO-heritage) was founded in 1238 by Johanna Van Constantinopel. It was destroyed 3 times and rebuilt for the last time in the 17th century.
• ⊙Broeltorens. These two identical towers are remains of the medieval city wall. They are the typical image of Kortrijk. Build in the 13th and 15 century, they are located at both sides of the Leie river.
• Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehospitaal. Hospital, founded between 1200 and 1204.
• Baggaertshof. Medical garden and 13 old houses.
• ⊙Groeningepoort and Groeningekouter, Plein. The Groeningepoort gate is built in 1908 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Golden Spurs battle on the location of the Groeningekouter, the field of the battle took place. In the park that now covers a part of the former battle field, you can also find the Groeningemonument.
• ⊙Schouwburg, Schouwburgplein 14, ☎ +32 56 239855. A rather impressive, chateau-like building. Schouwburg is the Dutch word for theatre. (updated Jun 2017)
• ⊙The Wave Fountain (Fontein De Golf), Schouwburgplein (Near the theatre). Made by Olivier Strebelle.

Churches

• ⊙Sint-Maartenskerk, Lange Steenstraat. A Gothic church, built and rebuild after a fire in the 14th century.
• ⊙Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, Deken Zegerplein.
• ⊙Sint-Michielskerk, Sint-Michielsplein.
• ⊙Sint-Elooiskerk, Overleiestraat.
• ⊙Sint-Jan-de-Doperkerk, Sint-Jansplein.