Kortrijk 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.

Attractions

• 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.