Courtray

Broel Towers along the river Lys Courtray (or Kortrijk in dutch) is a city in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the arrondissement of Courtray, which comprises some 278,160 inhabitants (1 January 2007). 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 Leie River, 42 km (26 miles) southwest of Ghent and 25 km (15 miles) northeast of Lille in France. Both Courtray and Lille are part of the same transnational Eurodistrict urban area with around 1,900,000 inhabitants[1]. As the biggest city of southern West-Flanders, Courtray has many schools, a university, hospitals and shopping streets. Dutch is the everyday language. Understand Courtrayis a medium city, it has a good balance of tradition and innovation/modernism. It was seen as the Texas of Flanders, one of the richest and most economic developped areas in Flanders. Courtrayhas always been famous for shopping, and in 2010 a big shopping centre was opened in the heart of the city. There are numerous traffic-free shopping zones, and lots historical sites in the city centre. Outside the centre there are some less developped hoods, but never really bad neighbourhoods. Courtrayis not far from France, but it's a rather safe city. Suburbs/satellite cities like Menen have to endure mainly burglary criminality from French youth and gangsters, but Courtrayis rather safe. The city is known as the Guldensporenstad (City of the Golden Spurs), afther the battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302. It used to be the centre of the linen industry and is still known as an important textile industry region. Get in Courtraycan be easily accessed by various types of transport: Train Courtray's main railway station is an intercity train station. Situated in the heart of Kortrijk, you have easy connections to Ghent, Antwerp, Mechelen, Brussels, Bruges, Ostend, Ypres and Lille. Bus Next to the train station there is a large bus station, giving access to regional bus lines and a well constructed city bus network. Eurolines buses stop at the train station or at the Kinepolis cinema, outside the city. The Kinepolis site has good connections to the train station. Thalys/Eurostar/TGV lines do not stop at Courtray. There is a direct connection to the Lille Flandres and Lille Europe train station (30 minutes by train) however. Accessing Courtray from England/Paris through stopping in Lille is easier to do than going to Brussels and taking the regional train in Brussels. Car Courtray has an inner circle, the R8. This highway is connected to the A19 (Ypres/Ieper), E403 (Bruges/Brugge, Ostend/Oostende, Tournai/Doornik) and the E17 (Lille/Rijsel, Ghent/Gent, Antwerp/Antwerpen, Brussels/Brussel). Plane Kortrijk Airport. Mainly business travel. No daily passenger services. Daily connections by train to Brussels Airport. Lille Airport can also be an option. Get around Courtray doesn't offer a metro system, but you won't need one. Kortrijk has a well-formed bus system, offering easy transport to main spots like Kortrijk Xpo and most surrounding cities. Talk As Courtray is a part of Flanders, the main language is Dutch. Many of the inhabitants will be happy to answer you in English but also in French. German is also quite prevalent. See Museums Kortrijk 1302: An interactive museum showing you the Battle of the Golden Spurs (11th of july 1302). This battle is historical because it was one of the first battles where a peasant-based army defeated a knights army. After the battle, the spurs of the fallen horses were kept as a victory sign. The battle gave Flanders its regional holiday. Museum of Fine Arts situated in an old 18th-century mansion. Mostly contains regional artists (f.i. Roelant Savery) and an unique collection of ceramic. National line museum. Shows a historical image of the line industry in Kortrijk and the surroundings. Groeninge-abbey and the Groeningemuseum. This museum tells the story of Kortrijk from the Roman empire through the first world war. Bakery and mill museum in Marke Agricultural museum in Bissegem Historical Buildings City Hall het Belfry at the Grand Place (UNESCO-heritage) thumb|right|The scenic Begijnhof, a Beguinage The scenic Begijnhof (UNESCO-heritage) The Béguinage was founded in 1238 by Johanna Van Constantinopel. It was destroyed 3 times and rebuilt for the last time in the 17th century. 2 almost identical Broeltowers are remainings of the medieval city wall. They are the typical image of Kortrijk. Build in the 13th and 15 century, they are located at both sides of the Leie river. Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehospitaal. Hospital, founded between 1200 and 1204. The Baggaertshof. a medical garden and 13 old houses. Sint-Maartenskerk. A gotic church, built and rebuild after a fire in the 14th century. thumb|right|The Béguinage, surrounding park and the Sint-Maartenstower Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk Sint-Michielskerk. Sint-Elooiskerk Sint-Janskerk. Groeningekouter: supposed to be the field where the Battle of the Golden Spurs took place. The fontain The Wave at the Schouwburgplein, near the theatre. A Olivier Strebelle-fountain Do Flanders Festival (link: http://www.happynewfestival.be/) Easter Funfair Sinksen Festival Courtray is situated on the "Vlaanderen Fietsroute", a cycling network through Flanders, a network of 800 kilometers guiding you through Flanders nicest spots by bike. In the neighbourhood Brussel: Belgian capital. Antwerpen: a large and active harbor city Gent: A medieval town. Brugge: The entire city centre is Unesco Heritage. Often called: "Venice of the north", due to the many canals and scenic centre. Buy Eat Drink Sleep Parkhotel next to the Station. Contact Stay safe Generally safe, small unsafe areas near the station (at night) and the Venning, a local neighbourhood. Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!