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Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It 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 Kooigem is a submunicipality of the city of Kortrijk, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north ...
, 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 Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
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 The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...
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 In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (; plural ), according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the , or citizens, united by law (). It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities () on th ...
Menapiorum at an important crossroads near the Lys river of the Roman roads linking Tongeren and Cassel and
Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...
and
Oudenburg Oudenburg (; french: Audembourg ; vls, Oednburg; la, Aldenburgensis) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenburg itself and the towns of Ettelgem, Roksem and We ...
. It was first mentioned in a document from the 4th or 5th century called
Notitia Dignitatum The ''Notitia Dignitatum'' (Latin for "The List of Offices") is a document of the late Roman Empire that details the administrative organization of the Western and the Eastern Roman Empire. It is unique as one of very few surviving documents of ...
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 The Broel Towers ( nl, Broeltorens) are a listed monument and a landmark in the Belgian city of Kortrijk (''Courtrai''). The towers are known as one of the most important symbols of the city. History Although they look identical, the towers wer ...
, 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 Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...
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 The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...
(Dutch: ''Guldensporenslag''), between the Flemish people, mostly commoners and farmers, and
Philip the Fair Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (french: Philippe le Bel), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre as Philip I from 1 ...
'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 The Flemish Community ( nl, Vlaamse Gemeenschap ; french: Communauté flamande ; german: Flämische Gemeinschaft ) is one of the three institutional communities of Belgium, established by the Belgian constitution and having legal responsibilitie ...
. 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
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
ic era, the textile industry, based on
flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
, and the general economy of the city prospered again. 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 The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirlin ...
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 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...
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 Kooigem is a submunicipality of the city of Kortrijk, Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north ...


Neighboring 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 Harelbeke (; vls, Oarlbeke) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Harelbeke proper and the towns of Bavikhove and Hulste. On January 1, 2019, Harelbeke had a total popul ...
(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 Lendelede (; vls, Lendlee) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Lendelede proper. On January 1, 2006, Lendelede had a total population of 5,399. The total area is 13.15& ...
, with Sint-Katharina (municipality Lendelede)


Climate

Kortrijk has an
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
( 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. Interesting highlights are:


Civil

* Medieval
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
(on the main square, the Grote Markt). The façade of the late-
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
, early Renaissance city hall is adorned with the statues of the Counts of Flanders. * The belfry is surmounted by a statue of
Mercury Mercury commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * Merc ...
, 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 A mount of piety is an institutional pawnbroker run as a charity in Europe from Renaissance times until today. Similar institutions were established in the colonies of Catholic countries; the Mexican Nacional Monte de Piedad is still in operation ...
(''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 The Groeningepoort is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The triumphal arch was built to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs and gives access to the Groeningepark, where during the Middle Ages the Groening ...
and the
Groeninge Monument The Groeninge Monument is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The gilded statue was inaugurated to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs. The statue is situated in the Groeningepark, where during the Middl ...
, to commemorate the 600th
anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints ...
of the famous
Battle of the Golden Spurs The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...


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 A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniou ...
. Its 83-meter (272 feet) tower remains the highest building in the city. * The
beguinage A beguinage, from the French term ''béguinage'', is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Originally the beguine institution was ...
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 Church of Our Lady may refer to: Belgium * Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp) * Church of Our Lady, Bruges *Church of Our Lady (Kortrijk) * Church of Our Lady of Laeken, site of the royal crypt, Brussels *Church of Our Lady, Melsele Canada * Church ...
(''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 The Count's Chapel (''Gravenkapel'' in Dutch) is a medieval chapel in the historic city centre of Kortrijk, Belgium. It is located next to the Church of Our Lady. It was built under Louis II, Count of Flanders as a mausoleum to the Counts of ...
''), 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 Isidore De Loor (18 April 1881 – 6 October 1916), also known by his religious name Isidore of Saint Joseph, was a Belgian professed religious from the Passionists. He served in various capacities at the convents that he served like being a jani ...
* 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 The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...
, 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 Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
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 Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
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 Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...
,
Mons Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
and
Charleroi Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593.
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 Kortrijk railway station ( nl, Station Kortrijk, french: Gare de Courtrai), officially Kortrijk, is the main railway station in Kortrijk, West Flanders, Belgium. The station was first inaugurated on 22 September 1839. With around 10,000 passenger ...
: an international railway station with direct connections to Brugge Centraal (Bruges),
Brussel Zuid Brussels-South railway station (french: Gare de Bruxelles-Midi, nl, Station Brussel-Zuid, IATA code: ZYR), officially Brussels-South (french: Bruxelles-Midi, link=no, nl, Brussel-Zuid, link=no), is a major railway station in Brussels, Belgium ...
,
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
, Ghent, Poperinge and Ieper (Ypres), Oudenaarde, other Belgian towns and Lille in France. The station also offers a direct connection to
Brussels Airport Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
. ** 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, nl, stadslijnen) and to many towns and villages in the region around the city (regional lines, nl, streeklijnen). * ''City buses'': ** Line 1: Station – Kortrijk XpoKinepolis – Leiedal ** Line 2: Station – Lange Munte ** Line 4: Station – Bissegem Station – Heule Kransvijver ** Line 50: Station – Kuurne Seizoenswijk ** Line 51: Station – Kuurne Sint-Pieter ** Line 6: Station – Shopping Center (– Industriezone) – Heule Markt ** Line 9: Station – Cederlaan ** Line 12: Station – Kinepolis – Bellegem – Rollegem (– Aalbeke) ** Line 13: Station – Hoog Kortrijk ** Line 80/81: Station – Marke ** Line 91/92/93: Station – Zwevegem * ''Regional buses'' :At
Kortrijk main railway station Kortrijk railway station ( nl, Station Kortrijk, french: Gare de Courtrai), officially Kortrijk, is the main railway station in Kortrijk, West Flanders, Belgium. The station was first inaugurated on 22 September 1839. With around 10,000 passenger ...
, there is a bus station where regional buses stop as well.


Airport

* The city has an airport known as Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport, which is mainly used for business travel and medical flights. Kortrijk Airport is located northwest of the city centre, next to the R8 ringroad. * The national
Brussels Airport Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
, one hour away by train or car, offers the best international connectivity. * The
Lille Lesquin International Airport Lille Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport de Lille) is an airport located in Lesquin, south-southeast of Lille, a city in northern France. It is also known as Lille-Lesquin Airport or Lesquin Airport. Lille is the principal city of the Lille ...
is located 35 kilometres from Kortrijk.


Waterways

The river Lys (Leie) is an important way of transporting goods through inland navigation. The Bossuit-Kortrijk Canal enables in the city centre a direct connection with the river Scheldt. Within the City, the river briefly splits in two, to re-join about a mile further. * ''Oude Leie'' (''Old Lys'') original southernmost riverbed where the ''Broel'' towers still stand. * ''Nieuwe Leie'' (''New Lys'') New bed that was dug around 1585 by Humans to accommodate water powered equipment. From the 1970s on, the planning and later the execution of the so-called ''Leiewerken'' (''Leieworks'') started. These construction works comprised the deepening and widening of the river. This would enable ships with 4400 tons to navigate from France to the Scheldt. At the same time, this project included a thorough urban renewal of the riversides in the city. Seven new bridges were to give a new architectural impulse to the river quarters as well as the construction of several new parks along the river. The following bridges were built during the period of 1997 and 2012: * ''Dambrug'' * ''Groeningebrug'' near the ''AlbertPark'' * ''Ronde van Vlaanderenbrug'' near the new ''Nelson Mandelapark'' * ''Collegebrug'' referring to the ''St Amands'' college * ''Noordbrug'' (2010) * ''Budabrug'' * ''Reepbrug'' (to be constructed) More recently (2018), the banks in front of the Broel Towers were lowered to allow the public to enjoy the historic river banks along both sides of the River Lys (Leie). This area is now known as the ''Leieboorden'' (or ''Banks of the River Lys''), a place for pedestrians with bars and restaurants.


Other Smaller Waterways with Historic and Geological value

Several small streams or ''Beken'' in and around Courtrai were of significant topological, historical and Geological value. *''Lange Mere'' Mentioned in the Town accounts of 1412-13 as ''Langhe Meere''. *''Mosscher'' (High Mossher and Low Mosscher) ending in the Southern Moat (Sanderus Map mentions only the 'Mosscher'' as a single toponym. It was also mentioned in almost full length on the ''Deventer Map''. *''Groeninghe'' (first mentioned as ''Groeninc'' in 1412 ) Its name came from the green color of the flooded meadow where it originated. *''Grote Vijver'' (first mention as ''Hoghen vivere'' in the town accounts of 1416-17). *''St-Jan''s stream - Human Dug connecting stream *''Klakkaert'' stream * Moat around the City (south of the ''Leie'' or Lys) *''Neveldries'' *''Bloedmeers''


Cycling and pedestrian areas

Cars are required to yield to pedestrians and cyclists. In general, cars are led to large underground car parks in the historic centre of Courtrai or Park&Ride parking outside the town centre. Large parts of the historic centre are car free.


Economy

The city is historically connected with the
flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
and the textile industry, and still today the textile industry remains important in the region. Major companies which have headquarters in Courtrai include Cisco, Barco and Bekaert.


Education

Courtrai serves as an educational centre in south West Flanders, attracting students from the entire region. There are 55 schools in Courtrai, on 72 different locations throughout the city, with an estimated 21,000 students. The city also provides higher education. The KULAK, a campus of the
Catholic University of Leuven University of Leuven or University of Louvain (french: Université de Louvain, link=no; nl, Universiteit Leuven, link=no) may refer to: * Old University of Leuven (1425–1797) * State University of Leuven (1817–1835) * Catholic University of ...
, is located in on the south edge of the city, in the Hoog Kortrijk quarter. Other institutes of higher education include the
Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen The Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen or KATHO was a university college in West Flanders. It had four campuses: Kortrijk, Roeselare, Tielt and Torhout. Since September 1, 2002, KATHO was a member of the K.U.Leuven Association. In 2013, KAT ...
(KATHO) and
Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen Howest, de Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen (English: ''Howest University of Applied Sciences''), abbreviated as HOWEST, is a university of applied sciences in West Flanders, a province of Belgium with five campuses situated in Bruges and Kortrijk Kor ...
(HOWEST) university colleges. There is also a campus of Ghent University.


European cooperation

Even though Courtrai is a Dutch-speaking town, it borders Wallonia, and is only away from the border with France. This has created an urban area that extends across linguistic and national borders. The mayors of Lille, Courtrai and
Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...
met in Courtrai on 28 January 2008 to sign a document creating the first European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation within the EU. The purpose of this organisation is to facilitate the movement of people within this area of nearly 2 million people. * Courtrai is a member of the
Eurotowns network Eurotowns is a network of medium-sized European cities with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 inhabitants. The organisation was founded in 1991. Its members include Avilés, Böblingen, Chelm, Detmold, Eskilstuna, Gävle, Girona, Haarl ...
.


Culture


Newspaper

* Courtrai used to have its own newspaper in times of war, called ''het Kortrijks Oorlogsblad''.


Music

* Courtrai has widely recognised local artists, such as: ** Fapy Lafertin, foremost exponent of the Belgian-Dutch style of gypsy jazz. ** Goose, electronic rock band with international projection. **
Amenra Amenra is a Belgian band from Kortrijk. It was formed in 1999 by vocalist Colin H. van Eeckhout and guitarist Mathieu Vandekerckhove, who now perform alongside drummer Bjorn Lebon, guitarist Lennart Bossu and bassist Tim De Gieter. Among a numbe ...
,
extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
band prominent in the European metal scene. **
Marcel Ponseele Marcel Ponseele (Kortrijk, 1957) is a Belgian oboist. Ponseele studied at Bruges and other conservatories in Belgium. He has specialised in the baroque oboe and is involved in making his own instruments in 18th-century style. He is known for his p ...
, baroque oboist known for his Bach performances and recordings. ** Balthazar, indie rock band popular in both Belgium and the Netherlands. ** Michaela Karadjian,
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
Opera singer.


Theatres and concert venues

* Courtrai has several cultural centres, each comprising different locations: ** Cultural Centre Kortrijk ** City Theatre (''De Schouwburg'', see picture), a neo-Renaissance architecture theatre known for its glass ceiling, an artwork of the French-Algerian artist Alberola ** Arenatheatre ** Antigone Theatre ** Buda Kunstencentrum (Buda Arts Centre), comprising the cinema Budascoop, the artist residence Tacktower and the artist creation space Budafactory ** The Concertstudio ** Music Centre Track* ** Concert venue ''De Kreun'' * Cinemas ** Kinepolis, a modern cinema multiplex with 10 screens. ** Budascoop, a 5 screen cinema, specialised in European movies.


Festivals and events

The city is host to some sizable cultural events such as: *
Day of the Flemish Community The Day of the Flemish Community of Belgium ( nl, Feestdag van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap) is an annual commemoration in the Flemish Community in Belgium on 11 July which marks the anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs (''Guldensporenslag'') i ...
(11 July) *
Golden River City Jazz Festival The Golden River City Jazz Festival was an annual music festival in Kortrijk, Belgium, on the first weekend in September coinciding with the local 'September' Braderie, focusing on jazz. The Festival was an opportunity for The Golden River City ...
(first weekend of September) * Humorologie: cabaret festival * Next: arts festival in the Eurodistrict Kortrijk- Lille-
Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...
* Happy New Ears: festival of experimental modern music * Budafest: theatre festival * The Internationaal Festival van Vlaanderen (April–May): several concerts of classical and modern music. * Novarock: rock festival in Kortrijk Xpo * Easter Carnival (Paasfoor): during the weeks after Easter * Sinxenfestival: one of the most vivid festivals downtown with street artists, concerts and flea markets all over town * Kortrijk Congé (July) * Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival (August) * Summer Carnival (weekend in August) * Student Welcome Concert: rock festival to celebrate the start of the new academic year at the Kortrijk University and the Kortrijk Colleges. Also, trade shows and events such as the international Design Fair
Interieur The Courtray Design Biennale Interieur ( nl, Design Biënnale Interieur Kortrijk) is a major international design exhibition that takes place once every two years (in even years) in the Belgian city of Courtray (Kortrijk in Dutch). The first Interi ...
, Busworld and the Eurodogshow take place in the Kortrijk Xpo event center. These fairs attract numerous visitors to the city. In July and August there are various boat tours on the river Leie.


Food

Local specialities include Kalletaart (apple cake with Calvados), Peperbollen, biscuits, and chocolate ''little beguines''. The town of Heule is the home of the
Picobrouwerij Alvinne Alvinne is a small brewery in the hamlet of Moen near the Belgian city of Zwevegem, founded in 2002. The brewery creates a range of beers, including versions of 'traditional' Belgian styles such as strong golden ales, abbey-style beers and s ...
brewery, while Bellegem is the home of the Bockor brewery.


Leisure


Shopping

* Kortrijk was the first town in Belgium to have a fully traffic-free shopping street, the Korte Steenstraat (1962). Later, a lot of neighbouring streets were also made traffic-free. As a result, Courtrai nowadays has one of the biggest traffic-free areas in Belgium (comprising Lange Steenstraat, Steenpoort, Sint-Jansttraat, Wijngaardstraat and several squares). * Courtrai has several indoor shopping malls including the Ring Shopping Kortrijk Noord, Bouwcentrum Pottelberg and
K in Kortrijk K in Kortrijk is a shopping centre in the Belgian city of Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, ...
(opened March 2010). The latter is in the town centre and which links the main shopping street (Lange Steenstraat) with the Veemarket square. It contains up to 90 stores, including Mediamarkt, H&M, Zara and many other clothes, food and houseware stores.


Parks

* Beguinagepark * Groeningepark, on the site of the Groeningekouter where the Battle of Courtrai or the
Battle of the Golden Spurs The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...
took place. In contains the
Groeningegate The Groeningepoort is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The triumphal arch was built to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs and gives access to the Groeningepark, where during the Middle Ages the Groening ...
and the
Groeninge Monument The Groeninge Monument is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The gilded statue was inaugurated to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs. The statue is situated in the Groeningepark, where during the Middl ...
* King Albertpark, with the Leiemonument which commemorates the Battle of the Lys * Gebroeders van Raemdonckpark * Queen Astridpark in the Overleie district * 't Plein, a nineteenth-century park, laid out on a former military site * Park de Blauwe Poort * Magdalenapark * Rozentuin, the International Rose Garden * Stadsgroen Messeyne * Kasteelpark Blommeghem * Kasteelpark 't Hooghe * Nolfpark * Stadsgroen Venning, with a butterfly garden


Sports


Football

Kortrijk has three official
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
clubs. *
K.V. Kortrijk Koninklijke Voetbalclub Kortrijk (often simply called KV Kortrijk or KVK) is a Belgian professional football club based in Kortrijk, West Flanders. They play in the Belgian First Division, and they achieved their best ranking ever during the 200 ...
plays in the
Belgian First Division A The Belgian Pro League,(officially the Jupiler Pro League due to sponsorship reasons with Jupiler), is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 18 clubs since the 2020–21 season and reduced to 16 team ...
after winning the championship in the former
Belgian Second Division The Belgian Second Division (known as the Proximus League for sponsorship reasons) was the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian Pro League. It was founded by the Royal Belgian Football Associa ...
during the 2007–2008 season. * SV Kortrijk plays in the fourth provincial division. * Wikings Kortrijk is for youth teams.


Basketball

* Kortrijk Sport CB * Basketbalteam Kortrijk


Cycling

:In Flanders generally, professional cycling is very popular. Many cycling races start, finish or pass through the Kortrijk area. Amongst them are the
Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen Dwars door West-Vlaanderen is a road bicycle race through the Belgian province of West Flanders. History The race was originally created unter the name Omloop der Vlaamse Ardennen (''English'': Tour of the Flemish Ardennes) in 1945 as a one-day ...
, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, Gent–Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen. Kortrijk also hosts an after-tour criterium at the start of August called ''Kortrijk Koerse''. Many of the riders who participated in the Tour de France usually appear at the start. In cyclo-cross, the centre of Kortrijk hosts the Urban Cross, currently part of the X²O Badkamers Trophy.


Rugby

*
Rugbyclub Curtrycke Rugbyclub Curtrycke is a Belgian Rugby union, rugby club in the submunicipality of Rollegem in the city of Kortrijk. History The club was founded in 2000. External linksRugbyclub Curtrycke
Rugby union clubs in Belgium Rugby clubs established ...


Tennis

* Tennis Club De Egelantier


Swimming

* KZK, Kortrijkse Zwemkring, arguably the best waterpolo team in Belgium, having won the Belgian championship nine times. In the 2007–2008 season they won both the championship and the Belgian cup.


Notable citizens


Town twinning

Courtrai participates in town twinning to encourage good international relations. * Bad Godesberg, Germany, since 1964 * Cebu City, Philippines, since 2005 * Frascati, Italy, since 1967 *
Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
, United States, since 1991 * Saint-Cloud, France, since 1993 * Lahore, Pakistan, since 1993 * Tashkent, Uzbekistan, since the late 1980s *
Maidenhead Maidenhead is a market town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire, England, on the southwestern bank of the River Thames. It had an estimated population of 70,374 and forms part of the border with southern Bu ...
, United Kingdom, since 1981 * Wuxi, China, since 2007


Photo gallery

File:KortrijkPatria.JPG, The Patriapalace File:Kortrijk1.JPG, The Saint-Martenstower File:Kortrijk-Huis-Plein.jpg, House in Empire style File:ArtillerietorenKortrijk.jpg, The old town (The Gun Powder Tower, ''De Kruittoren'') File:Groeningepoort.jpg, The
Groeningegate The Groeningepoort is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The triumphal arch was built to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs and gives access to the Groeningepark, where during the Middle Ages the Groening ...
File:Gravenkapel binnen.jpg, Count's Chapel File:Kortrijk Beguinage 805.jpg, Old houses in the historical city centre File:Kortrijk-Groeningemonument.jpg, The
Groeninge Monument The Groeninge Monument is a monument in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The gilded statue was inaugurated to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of the Golden Spurs. The statue is situated in the Groeningepark, where during the Middl ...
File:Kortrijk - Sint-Elooiskerk 2.jpg, The Saint-Elooi church


Notes


References

*


External links

* – Information available in Dutch, French, English and German
Kortrijk airport

Kortrijk photo gallery
{{Authority control Sub-municipalities of Kortrijk Municipalities of West Flanders