Courtray

Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders.

With its 80,000 inhabitants (2024) Kortrijk is the capital and largest city of the judicial and administrative arrondissement of Kortrijk. The wider municipality comprises the city of Courtrai proper and the villages of Aalbeke, Bellegem, Bissegem, Heule, Kooigem, Marke, and Rollegem. Courtrai is also part of the cross-border Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai metropolitan area.

The city is on the river Leie, southwest of Ghent and northeast of Lille. Mouscron in Wallonia is just south of Courtrai.

Courtrai originated from a Gallo-Roman town, ''Cortoriacum'', at a crossroads near the Leie river and two Roman roads. In the Middle Ages, Courtrai grew significantly thanks to the flax and wool industry with France and England and became one of the biggest and richest cities in Flanders. The city is often referred to as City of Groeninge or City of the Golden Spurs, referring to the Battle of Courtrai or the Battle of the Golden Spurs which took place on 11 July 1302 on the Fields of Groeninge in Courtrai. In 1820 the Treaty of Kortrijk was signed, laying out the still-current borders between France and Belgium. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, the flax industry flourished and remains important within the Belgian textile industry today.

Courtrai is the largest city in southern West Flanders, with several hospitals, colleges and a university. Courtrai was the first city in Belgium with a pedestrian shopping street, the ''Korte Steenstraat''.

History

Name

The Latin name ''Cortoriacum'' means the settlement near the curb in the river. There is also mention of 'Cortoracum' in some literature. Its name later evolved to 'Cortrycke', 'Cortryck' and 'Kortrijk' (19th century). In French and in English, the city is called Courtrai.

Origins Roman times

Findings from an archeological dig in 1950 in which remains of three Roman funeral pyres were found suggest that the vicus was used as an encampment by the Romans during their invasion of Britain in AD 43.

''Cortoriacum'' was a larger Gallo-Roman vicus of civitas Menapiorum at an important crossroads near the Lys river of the Roman roads linking Tongeren and Cassel and Tournai and Oudenburg. It was first mentioned in a document from the 4th or 5th century called where the cortoriacenses (cavalry) troops were mentioned. In the 9th century, Baldwin II, Count of Flanders established fortifications against the Vikings. The town gained its city charter in 1190 from Philip, Count of Flanders. The population growth required new defensive walls, part of which can still be seen today (the Broeltorens, Armory, Kortrijk). Several local places still refer to physical parts of the defensive structures around Kortrijk (Walle, Waterpoort, Menenpoort, Gentsepoort, Brugsepoort, Kasteelkaai); Most of the physical parts have been overbuilt or destroyed.

In the 13th century, the battles between Fernando of Portugal, Count of Flanders and his first cousin, King Louis VIII of France, led to the destruction of the city. The Counts of Flanders had it rebuilt soon after. To promote industry and weaving in the town, Joan, Countess of Flanders exempted settlers in Courtrai from property tax. From that time, Kortrijk gained great importance as a center of linen production.

Battle of the Golden Spurs

In 1302, the population of Bruges started a successful uprising against the French, who had annexed Flanders a couple of years earlier. On 18 May the French population in that city was massacred, an event that could not go unpunished. The famous ensuing Battle of Courtrai in 1302, also known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs (Dutch: ''Guldensporenslag''), between the Flemish people, mostly commoners and farmers, and Philip the Fair's knights took place near Courtrai on 11 July, resulting in a victory for Flanders;Courtrai (Flem. Kortrijk), a walled town of Belgium, on the Lys, 54 miles SW. of Brussels by rail, and 6 from the French frontier. It has a fine eld bridge flanked with towers, a noble townhall (1526), belfry, and a beautiful Gothic church, founded in 1238 by Baldwin, Count of Flanders. Table damask, linen, and lace are the chief manufactures. Population, about 35,000. Here, in 1302, the citizens of Ghent and Bruges won over the French the 'Battle of the Spurs,' so named from the number of gilt spurs gathered from the dead. ''Chambers's Concise Gazetteer Of The World'', by David Patrick. W. & R. Chambers, Limited, 1906.
/ref> the date is commemorated as a national holiday by the Flemish community.

Following a new uprising by the Flemish in 1323, this time against their own Count Louis I, the French invaded again. These Flemish acquisitions were consolidated by the French at the Battle of Cassel (1328).

Louis I's son Louis II lost the city to a Flemish uprising led by Philip van Artevelde in 1381, but the Flemish were later decisively defeated at the 1382 Battle of Roosebeke by Louis II with French support, resulting in a new wave of plundering and destruction.

15th century to modern times

Most of the 15th century was prosperous under the Dukes of Burgundy, until the death of the Burgundian heiress Mary of Burgundy in 1482, which ushered in renewed fighting with France.

The 16th century was marked by the confrontations engendered by the Reformation and the uprising of the Netherlands against Spain.

Louis XIV's reign saw Courtrai occupied by the French five times in sixty years and its former fortifications razed. The Treaty of Utrecht assigned the area to the Austrian Habsburgs.

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, the textile industry, based on flax, and the general economy of the city prospered again. The city had a population of 18,000 inhabitants by the 1840s.

Courtrai was heavily bombed in the summer of 1917, but was liberated by the British Army the following year. During World War II the city was an important railway hub for the German army, and for this reason was the target of several Allied airstrikes. On 21 July 1944 (the Belgian National Day) around 300 Avro Lancasters dropped over 5,000 bombs on the city center. Many historical buildings on the central square, as well as the old railway station, were destroyed.

Battle of Courtrai

Battles fought there in 1302, 1382, 1580, 1793, 1794, 1814, 1815, and 1918 have each been called Battle of Courtrai.

Geography

Municipality

After the 1977 fusion the city is made up of:
*I Kortrijk
*II Heule
*III Bissegem
*IV Marke
*V Aalbeke
*VI Rollegem
*VII Bellegem
*VIII Kooigem

Neighbouring municipalities

The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, also consists of Kuurne, Wevelgem, Zwevegem and Harelbeke. Although these municipalities have strong morphologic ties with Courtrai, they aren't officially part of the city.

*a. Kuurne (municipality Kuurne)
*b. Harelbeke (municipality Harelbeke)
*c. Zwevegem (municipality Zwevegem)
*d. Sint-Denijs (municipality Zwevegem)
*e. Spiere (municipality Spiere-Helkijn)
*f. Dottenijs (city of Moeskroen)
*g. Luingne (city of Moeskroen)
*h. Moeskroen (city of Moeskroen)
*i. Rekkem (city of Menen)
*j. Lauwe (city of Menen)
*k. Wevelgem (municipality Wevelgem)
*l. Gullegem (municipality Wevelgem)
*m. Sint-Eloois-Winkel (municipality Ledegem)
*n. Lendelede, with Sint-Katharina (municipality Lendelede)

Climate

Kortrijk has an oceanic climate (Köppen ''Cfb'').

Main sights

Architecture

Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. The city centre is one of the largest car-free areas in Belgium. The béguinage, as well as the belfry, have each been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. The city was also recognized as a " Design City" by UNESCO in 2017. Interesting highlights are:

Civil

*Medieval Kortrijk City Hall on the main square, the Grote Markt. The façade of the late- Gothic, early Renaissance city hall is adorned with the statues of the Counts of Flanders.
*The belfry is surmounted by a statue of Mercury, god of the merchants. The belfry is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, on the list of Belfries of Belgium and France.
*Near-identical medieval Broel Towers with the bridge in between that spans the river Leie. (the ''Speyetower'' and the ''Ingelburgtower'')
*Artillerytower (''Artillerietoren'')
* Mont de Piété (''Berg van Barmhartigheid'' or ''house of Mercy'')
* Weigh house (''Stadswaag'') on the St.Michael-square
*Our Lady Hospital (''Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehospitaal''), founded in 1200–1204.
*Baggaertshof, often called Kortrijk's second Beguinage, contains a Botanical garden
*Groeningekouter contains the Groeningegate and the Groeninge Monument, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the famous Battle of the Golden Spurs

Religious

*The Saint-Martin church dates from the 13th century but was mostly rebuilt after a fire in the 15th century. It now houses a 48-bell carillon. Its 83-meter (272 feet) tower remains the highest building in the city.
*The beguinage is one of the quaintest sites in the city. It too, was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, on the list of "Flemish Béguinages".
*The church of Our Lady (''Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk'') is former collegiate church. Here the golden spurs taken from the battlefield in 1302 were hung. It houses a rich interior with an altar piece of van Dyck.
*the Count’s chapel (''Gravenkapel''), built after the example of la Sainte Chapelle in Paris as shrine for Louis II of Flanders.
*Saint-Michaelschurch; a church of the Society of Jesus
*Saint-Johnschurch in the St.-Johnsquarter; a Neo-Gothic basilica
*Groeninge Abbey
*Saint Eligiuschurch
*Saint-Pius X-church
*Saint-Rochchurch
*Saint-Elisabethchurch
*Saint-Anthonychurch or ''Toontjes kerk'' with the pilgrimage of Isidore of Saint Joseph
*Saint-Annechurch
*Saint-Theresiachurch
*Father Damienchurch

Museums

Museums in Courtrai include:
*''Kortrijk 1302: seven centuries in one day'', a historic museum about the famous Battle of the Golden Spurs, which gave Flanders its official holiday (11 July)
*'' Broelmuseum'' (Museum of Fine Arts and archaeological museum), with paintings by Roelant Savery and international Ceramic.
*''National Flax Museum'' in honour of the plant that once was the main driver of Kortrijk’s economy. This museum will be relocated.
* Groeninge Abbey with the Groeningemuseum. This museum gives you an overview of Kortrijk's history.
*''Beguinage museum'' located in the old town, in the béguinage.
*''Flemish Film museum and archive''
*''Bakery- and Millmuseum'', located in an old windmill.
*''Museum of Agriculture''
*''International Rose gardens'', located in the park of the Castle ''t Hooghe'', in the Hoog-Kortrijk quarter just in front of Kortrijk Xpo.
*''Begijnhofmuseum''

Transport

Road

Courtrai lies at the intersection of three highways:
*The E17: connects Courtrai with Ghent, Sint-Niklaas and Antwerp to the northeast, and with Lille and Paris to the south-west.
*The E403: connects Courtrai with Bruges and Ostend to the north, and with Tournai, Mons and Charleroi to the south-east.
*The Belgian highway A19: connects Courtrai with Ypres and the Belgian coast.
*In addition Courtrai also has two ringways:
**The R8: connects the outskirts of Kortrijk with each other and the surrounding villages, and also leads to the A19, E403 and E17 roads.
**The R36: connects the different downtown quarters with each other, and provides access to the main avenues.

Railway

*The municipality of Courtrai has two railway stations:
** Kortrijk main railway station: an international railway station with direct connections to Antwerp, Brugge (Bruges), Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, Poperinge, Ieper (Ypres), Oudenaarde, other Belgian towns and Lille in France. The station also offers a direct connection to Brussels Airport.
**Bissegem Station: a regional railway station in the village of Bissegem with connections to Ypres.

Public city transport

Kortrijk has an extensive web of public transport lines, operated by ''De Lijn'', providing access to the city centre and the suburbs (city lines, ) and to many towns and villages in the region around the city (regional lines, ).
*''City buses'':
**Line 1: Station – Kortrijk Xpo

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