Groeninge Monument

The Battle of the Golden Spurs (Dutch: 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-Flemish War (1297–1305). It took place near the town of Kortrijk (Courtrai) in modern-day Belgium and resulted in an unexpected victory for the Flemish. It is sometimes referred to as the Battle of Courtrai. On 18 May 1302, after two years of French military occupation and several years of unrest, many cities in Flanders revolted against French rule, and the local militia massacred many Frenchmen in the city of Bruges. King Philip IV of France immediately organized an expedition of 8,000 troops, including 2,500 men-at-arms, under Count Robert II of Artois to put down the rebellion. Meanwhile, 9,400 men from the civic militias of several Flemish cities were assembled to counter the expected French attack. When the two armies met outside the city of Kortrijk on 11 July, the cavalry charges of the mounted French men-at-arms proved unable to defeat the mail-armoured and well-trained Flemish militia infantry's pike formation. The result was a rout of the French nobles, who suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Flemish. The 500 pairs of spurs that were captured from the French horsemen gave the battle its popular name. The battle was a famous early example of an all-infantry army overcoming an army that depended on the shock attacks of heavy cavalry. While France was victorious in the overall Franco-Flemish War, the Battle of the Golden Spurs became an important cultural reference point for the Flemish Movement during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1973, the date of the battle was chosen for the official holiday of the Flemish Community in Belgium. A 1985 film called De leeuw van Vlaanderen (The Lion of Flanders) shows the battle, and the politics that led up to it.

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 Groeninge battlefield was situated. In this park you can also find the golden Groeninge Monument. The Groeningepoort was erected in 1908 and has the inscription 1302 – Groeningheveld.

K in Kortrijk is a shopping centre in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The centre, located downtown, was developed by Foruminvest at a cost of €200,000,000. The shopping mall comprises 35,000 m2 (380,000 sq ft) of shopping space, 90 shops and a tower with apartments. It is one of the biggest downtown shopping centres in Belgium. The mall opened 11 March 2010. It is currently owned by the German Union Investment Real Estate group.

St-Martin's Church (Sint-Maartenskerk in Dutch) is the main church and one of the principal Gothic monuments of Kortrijk (Courtrai), Flanders, Belgium. The church is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours.

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 Flanders and a shrine to Saint Catherine.

The Church of Our Lady in a former Collegiate church in Kortrijk. The church was built in 1199 established by Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders. The church is situated in the historic city centre of Kortrijk.

The Broel Towers (Dutch: 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.

The Battle of Courtrai (11 May 1794) saw a Republican French army under Jean-Charles Pichegru oppose Coalition forces commanded by François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt. The battle was fought as part of French efforts to defeat an Allied attempt to recapture Courtrai, which the French captured in the opening days of their 1794 offensive in the Low Countries. On 10 May, a French attempt to advance east toward Tournai was turned back by the Duke of York's troops in the Battle of Willems, but resulted in York himself retreating to Tournai once he realised he had underestimated the size of the French army. On the same day as Willems, Clerfayt attacked Courtrai (now Kortrijk) from the north but made little progress. On 11 May, with York's retreat, French forces turned on Clerfayt at Courtrai after York's retreat and forced him to retreat to the north. As a result of the battle, the French Army of the North maintained their grip on Courtrai and Menin (now Menen) which it had won in late April. The fighting occurred during the War of the First Coalition near Kortrijk, Belgium, located about 85 kilometres (53 mi) west of Brussels. The battle of Courtrai refers specifically to the battle on 11 May, but the term is often also used to refer generally to both this battle and the battle of Willems together, as they were part of the same offensive.

Kortrijk ( KORT-ryke, Dutch: [ˈkɔrtrɛik] (listen); West Flemish: Kortryk or Kortrik; French: Courtrai [kuʁtʁɛ]; Latin: Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( koor-TRAY), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. With its 79,000 inhabitants (2023) 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, 42 km (26 mi) southwest of Ghent and 25 km (16 mi) 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.

The Battle of Courtrai (also known as the Second Battle of Belgium (French: 2ème Bataille de Belgique) and the Battle of Roulers (French: Bataille de Roulers)) was one of a series of offensives in northern France and southern Belgium that took place in late September and October 1918.

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 Jazz Band to showcase their repertoire and to mingle with international musicians. No less than 30 times the Golden River City Jazz Band played a major role at the annual festival in its hometown. The real breakthrough occurred in 1973 when the band had the opportunity to accompany British singer Beryl Bryden.

The Schouwburgplein (Theatre Square) is situated in the heart of the city of Kortrijk, Belgium, and is flanked by the municipal theatre (Stadsschouwburg) and several historic buildings. The rectangular square was formed after the demolition of the old Lakenhalle (Clothes Hall) (built in 1411), which was severely damaged by friendly fire in 1944. The square is situated between the Doorniksestraat and the Havermarkt and occupies an area of 5,060 square metres. Today, the square is a pedestrian area with several bars and outdoor cafés. Underneath the square there is a large parking garage, which was built in 1993. On top of the entrance to this parking garage, there is a curved fountain, De Golf ("the Wave"), sculpted by the artist Olivier Strebelle.