Kortrijk

The Belgian city of Kortrijk (French: Cortrai) lies in the Flemish province West Flanders. Situated on the Leie river, it is 42km southwest of Ghent and 25km northeast of Lille in France, has a population of around 75,000 and forms part of a large transnational urban area with a population of almost 2 million. Although Dutch speaking, Kortrijk is only 9km from the French border. The town was founded in Roman times, experiencing a period of growth and influence during the Middle Ages, when it became the centre of the thriving flax and wool industry, and trade with France and England made it one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Flanders. Many examples of the town’s well-preserved historic architecture date from this prosperous era, such as the distinctive near-identical Broel Towers, a medieval fortification built across the Leie. Other landmarks include the Béguinage and the Gothic Saint Martin’s Church, which remains to this day Kortrijk’s highest building. The town was the site of the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, an unsuccessful attempt by the French crown to subdue the Flemish. In 1820, the Treaty of Kortrijk defined what is now the boundary between Belgium and France. Modern-day Kortrijk is an urban centre with several hospitals, colleges and a university.