Guided walks
You can get to know and appreciate Kortrijk better by taking advantage of an expert guide from the Society of Guides. A walk lasts two hours. Guides are available who speak a variety of languages. Request a guide at Kortrijk Tourism. Maximum 25 people per guide. Price per guide: €55 (2 hours), €80 (3 hours), but if reservation is less than 8 days in advance: €65 or €90.
The guides can take you on a variety of themed walks:
Guided city walk
A city walk introduces you to the most important monuments from Kortrijk's rich past. You visit the historic rooms of the Town Hall with its beautiful fireplace and wall murals. In the Grote Markt you stop at the Belfry, where Manten and Kalle strike the hours. A hundred metres further you come across an oasis of tranquillity within the city centre, the unique Saint Elizabeth's Beguinage. You walk along the winding cobbled streets between the white-washed houses. In the nearby 13th century Our Lady's Church with its splendid interior you can pay a visit to the fascinating Duke's Chapel. You round off your walk at the majestic Broel Towers, the only remnants of the old city walls.
Ghetto walk
Kortrijk has a number of workers' ghettos, remnants of the 19th century industrial revolution. Some of these still exist in their original form, while others have been modernised and adapted to the modern way of life. They are a little bit of social history from 150 years ago.
Golden Spurs walk
This guided walk reminds us of the locations of the mighty battle that took place on 11 July 1302, and the celebrations which were organised from the end of the 19th century.
Construction site route
The city of Kortrijk is currently constructing its future at a fast rate. The Saint Jans Gate project is a huge undertaking and is one of the eye-catchers. Next to it, a number of apartments will be constructed. Everything fits into the Nero master plan which will revitalise the neighbourhood between the Wijngaardstraat and the Spoorweglaan. Also the work on the Leie, to straighten it, introduce new banks and build seven new bridges will change the city's identity. Where are we going and what will Kortrijk look like in a few years time?
If statues could speak
Monuments bear witness to important events, such as wars or the Battle of the Golden Spurs, or commemorate famous people such as inventors, artists and social champions. It is definitely of interest to find out more about these people.
In Women's Footsteps
Women have not always kept themselves in the shadows. Some played a key role in history. Others had the strength to lead abbeys, manage hospitals and hospices, expand beguinages as sources of peace and safety, and achieve fame as important artists. This journey of discovery takes you to places and images of women of history.
Kortrijk as medieval city
The medieval period extends over about ten centuries. During this walk you discover buildings, locations and objects from the medieval age. It explains a number of aspects of life in a medieval city: its infrastructure, justice, trade and social life. During this walk you also visit the cellar underneath the Grote Markt.
Discover the other bank of the Leie
The other bank of the Leie has always played a special role in the life of the city. Initially the area was surrounded by a ditch at the end of the 14th century, before being incorporated into the city in the early 15th century. Later it became a working class area with ghettos, gates and alleys, but where wealthy citizens lived and the Astrid Park was created. Furthermore, the renowned Saint Amands' College grew out of the former Saint Amands deanery. The other bank of the Leie gives you a different viewpoint on city life.
Façades as witnesses
Façades bear witness to the existence of a city, its evolution, customs, wealth or poverty, and history through the ages. Kortrijk is proud of its enthralling past, where people enthusiastically expressed their prosperity in a certain style. The façades are the visiting cards of these impressive buildings. Although much damage occurred during the Second World War, we can still discover sturdy towers, awe-inspiring churches, picturesque city monuments and numerous houses from times gone by. This walk offers an absorbing peek into the past.
Hospices and hospitals
If the medieval city gates were closed, travellers and pilgrims stayed overnight in these places, which also took care of the sick and needy. At the end of the 14th century Kortrijk had around eight hospices of one kind or another. What remains of them? This is a journey of discovery!
Funerary walk in St. John's cemetery
A number of known and unknown inhabitants of Kortrijk are buried In St. John's cemetery. Some of them have just a simple gravestone; others an impressive monument commemorating their death. Their background stories are all fascinating.
Contemporary architecture
In the last few years Kortrijk has made huge progress in the field of architecture. The Grote Markt, squares and shopping districts have all been renovated. New buildings have risen up such as luxurious apartment complexes, a hospital wing, a court of justice and several banks. Some structures such as the Tack Tower were rebuilt and got a modern facelift. Leading architects from Belgium and abroad have been involved in drawing up these plans.
City chapels
We visit chapels that are not on the itinerary of traditional city walks. These include monastery chapels of diverse styles, from intensely austere to richly opulent; the town hospital's chapel; and the chapels of the nuns belonging to various orders such as the Paulines, the Carmelites and St. Nicholas. Each one gives a fascinating insight into city history. In addition we introduce you to the chapels of the intimate Baggaertshof and the more extensive Beguinage, also from the past of Kortrijk.
Above and below
Climb up to the ramparts of St. Martin's tower. From there, enjoy an exhilarating view, while admiring the details of the mighty carillon. The Belfry's tower may not be as high but it's just as beautiful. To get to know the city better, you don't just ascend steps but also descend them, to visit a medieval cellar beneath the city centre.
Literature is more than texts
During this walk you get to know certain locations in the city centre that evoke memories of well-known authors. These include Diederic van Assenede, Dante, Victor Hugo, Hendrik Conscience, Guido Gezelle, Stijn Streuvels, A. Demedts, Fred Germonprez, Hugo Claus, Axel Bouts and the cartoonist Morris. It will not just shed light on their works, but their links to Kortrijk too
From Groeninge fields to first industrial district
At the beginning of the 20th century, a new district sprang up from the 1302 battlefields. The construction of the railway and the canal were essential for the import and export of raw materials for early industry. Factories arose, rows of houses for factory workers were built, as well as homes for managers. Art Nouveau and Art Déco made an appearance. The whole area was invigorated, with St. John's church, the school and the monastery of the Passionist priests. The walk intertwines witnesses from a historical, industrial and social past.
The city and its river
During this walk we get to know the history of the Leie in Kortrijk. Since the early middle ages the Leie has been used as a shipping route. Kortrijk developed into an important trading centre. Through the centuries the river has had a vital influence on the city, its economy and cultural life, its architecture and urbanisation. Thanks to the Leie works, Kortrijk is getting a new appearance with its high-quality designs of open public spaces, buildings and bridges. The impact of the river on the city has never been so great. What started as a large-scale technical improvement of the infrastructure has grown into a well thought out metamorphosis of a city, whose river has been discovered to be trendy.
Surprising Hoog-Kortrijk
The walk through Hoog-Kortrijk is full of variety. We get to know the high school and university campus; walk alongside the Flax Museum; visit the Kleiputten nature reserve; drop into the new cemetery and see how well embedded the Lange Munte sports centre is in the undulating landscape. The Spoelberg hill has also undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years.
Kortrijk for children
This city walk is ideal for children from the 4th, 5th and 6th years of primary education. Starting from the child's familiar world, and speaking their language, the city is introduced in an active, fun way. We see the medieval city in general and Kortrijk in particular through the innocent eyes of children. With gripping stories, the guide leads children through the aldermen's chambers and gives them new identities; they get badges and become priests, noblemen or noblewomen, or citizens.
From Manten and Kalle to Natus Buzze
With stories, epics and legends and a few historical (un)truths, this introduces you to the city in a fun way. We uncover legends such as the king's son whose question "How short (kort) is my kingdom (rijk)?" led to the city getting its name, as well as the story of Manten and Kalle, who strike the carillon on the Belfry. And we reveal that the people of Kortrijk used to have their own stories to keep not only children away from danger, but adults too.
The De Coene walk
The De Coene Kortrijkse Kunstwerkstede company achieved great acclaim during the twenties and thirties as a manufacturer of Art Deco furniture. Its founder Jozef De Coene (1875-1950) surrounded himself with the best artists, designers and craftsmen. The company not only had an international cultural influence on Kortrijk, but until 1977 also played a leading social and economic role as a large employer. We visit a few locations in the centre of Kortrijk where De Coene furniture and interiors have been preserved. They clearly show the evolution of the De Coene firm from Art Nouveau, Art Deco to Modernism.
More information on these city walks: Tourism Kortrijk
