Kortrijk

For the Dutch village, see Kortrijk (Netherlands)

Kortrijk municipality and district in the province West Flanders

Kortrijk (French: Courtrai; Latin: Cortoriacum; English: Courtray) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders. 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 River Lys, 42 km (26 miles) southwest of Ghent.

History

Origins to the 13th century

Coat of arms

Cortoriacum was founded by the Romans at an important crossroads near the Lys River, then developed as a typical Gallo-Roman vicus. In the 9th century, Baldwin II, Count of Flanders established fortifications against the Normans. The town gained its city charter in 1190 from Philip of Alsace. The population growth required new defensive walls, part of which can still be seen today (the Broeltoren).

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. From that time, Kortrijk gained great importance as a centre of linen production.

Battle of the Golden Spurs

Central Kortrijk from the main square, with Saint Martin church in background

In 1302, the population of Bruges started a successful uprising against the French, who had annexed Flanders a couple of years earlier. On May 18, the French population in that city was murdered, an event that could not go unpunished. The famous ensuing Battle of the Golden Spurs (Dutch: Guldensporenslag) between the Flemish people, mostly commoners and farmers, and Philip the Fair’s knights took place near Kortrijk on July 11, resulting in a massive victory for Flanders. This date is now remembered as a national holiday by the whole Flemish community.

Following a new uprising by the Flemish in 1323, but 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, then Philip van Artevelde briefly regained the city in 1381 but lost it again the following year at the Battle of Roosebeke, resulting in a new wave of plundering and destruction.

City hall

15th century until now

Most of the 15th century was prosperous under the Dukes of Burgundy, until the death of Mary of Burgundy in 1482, which ushered in renewed fighting with France. The 16th century was marked by the uprising of the Netherlands in 1539, by Charles V’s heavy-handed reprisal to it, and later by the confrontations engendered by the Reformation. Louis XIV’s reign saw Kortrijk occupied by the French five times in sixty years and its former fortifications razed to the ground. The Treaty of Utrecht finally gave the whole area to Austria.

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, the textile industry, based on flax, and the general economy of the city could finally prosper again. Kortrijk was heavily bombed in the summer of 1917, but even more damaged by the allied bombing in 1944. Most of the city that we see today was rebuilt after the war.

Sights

Broel towers

Beguinage

• On the main square, the façade of the late-Gothic, early Renaissance city hall is adorned with the statues of the Counts of Flanders.
• The nearby belfry is surmounted by a statue of Mercury, god of the merchants. The belfry is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
• 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.
• The beguinage is one of the quaintest sites in the city, taking visitors back to the 17th century. It, too, was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
• The church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) was where the golden spurs taken from the battlefield in 1302 were hung. It now houses a famous van Dyck painting.
• Other reminders of Kortrijk's medieval history are the Our Lady Hospital (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehospitaal), and the near-identical Broel towers (Broeltoren) with the small bridge in between that spans the river.
• Several museums dot the city, including a fine art and archeological museum, as well as a flax museum in honour of the plant that once was the main driver of Kortrijk’s economy.

Famous citizens

• John II of Brienne, Count of Eu
• Hendrik Conscience, writer
• Edmée Daenen, pop artist
• Stefaan De Clerck, politician and mayor of Kortrijk
• Ernest Gambart, art publisher and dealer
• Carl de Keyzer, photographer
• Pierre de La Rue, Renaissance composer
• Ann Demeulemeester, fashion designer
• Ernest Gambart, art publisher and dealer
• Guido Gezelle, poet
• Piet Goddaer, singer of Ozark Henry
• The members of the Belgian electroband Goose
• Gilles Joye, Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance
• Xavier Malisse, tennis player
• Morris, creator of Lucky Luke
• Ozark Henry, musician
• Jan Palfyn (1650-1730), doctor, surgeon and inventor of the forceps
• Louis Robbe (1806-1887), painter
• Roelant Savery (1576-1639), painter
• Stijn Streuvels (1871-1969), writer
• Jacobus Vaet, Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance
• Vincent Van Quickenborne (1973-), politician: Belgian Secretary of State
• Emmanuel Vierin (1869-1954)painter

Education

The KULAK, a department of the Catholic University of Leuven, is located in Kortrijk.

Town twinning

Kortrijk participates in town twinning to encourage good international relations.

• Frascati in Italy,
• Bad Godesberg in Germany (1964)
• Windsor and Maidenhead in England.
• Saint-Cloud in France

External link

• Official website - Information available in Dutch, French, English and German

	Municipalities in the province of West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium
Bruges: Beernem | Blankenberge | Bruges/Brugge | Damme | Jabbeke | Knokke-Heist | Oostkamp | Torhout | Zedelgem | Zuienkerke
Diksmuide: Diksmuide | Houthulst | Koekelare | Kortemark | Lo-Reninge
Kortrijk: Anzegem | Avelgem | Deerlijk | Harelbeke | Kortrijk/Courtrai | Kuurne | Lendelede | Menen | Spiere-Helkijn | Waregem | Wevelgem | Zwevegem
Ostend: Bredene | De Haan | Gistel | Ichtegem | Middelkerke | Oostende/Ostend | Oudenburg
Roeselare: Hooglede | Ingelmunster | Izegem | Ledegem | Lichtervelde | Moorslede | Roeselare | Staden
Tielt: Ardooie | Dentergem | Meulebeke | Oostrozebeke | Pittem | Ruiselede | Tielt | Wielsbeke | Wingene
Veurne: Alveringem | De Panne | Koksijde | Nieuwpoort | Veurne
Ypres: Heuvelland | Ieper/Ypres | Langemark-Poelkapelle | Mesen | Poperinge | Vleteren | Wervik | Zonnebeke

Coordinates: 50°50′N 3°16′E

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