Kortrijk Belfry

Kortrijk, Belgium

The belfry (Belfort) of Kortrijk stands in the centre of the Grote Markt and was part of the former cloth hall. The earliest mention of the cloth hall dates back to 1248. The belfry is an imposing square tower, slightly sunk into the market square. This is due to the market being raised throughout the centuries. The view from the tower was mainly determined in 1520 with the reconstruction of the upper section of the tower and in 1899 with the demolition of the surrounding buildings. The spire features a gilded statue of Mercury (the god of trade) from 1712, and Manten and Kalle, the two figures that strike the hour, adorn the front. On the southeastern side you will find the war memorial to commemorate the First World War, unveiled on 15 July 1923.

Kortrijk belfry is one of belfries in Belgium and France listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Address

Grote Markt 41, Kortrijk, Belgium
See all sites in Kortrijk

Details

Founded: 1520
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More Information

www.toerismekortrijk.be

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Kortrijk City Hall (0,1 km)
Church of Our Lady (0,2 km)
Kortrijk Béguinage (0,2 km)
St. Martin's Church (0,2 km)
Broel Towers (0,4 km)


Belfry of Bruges (42,4 km)
Historic Centre of Brugge (42,5 km)
Basilica of the Holy Blood (42,4 km)
Church of Our Lady (42 km)
St Nicholas' Church (40,7 km)
Belfry of Ghent (40,8 km)
Gravensteen (40,8 km)
St Michael's Church (40,5 km)
Groeningemuseum (42,1 km)

User Reviews

Wouter Koster (17 months ago)
Verry nice city but difficult to enter with car.
Doğan Yılmaz (17 months ago)
Old and good
Basil Terrier (2 years ago)
I believe this is St Martins Church adjacent to the Grote Market. Kortrijk is quite a pleasant place and easy to walk around. There is a lot of interesting architecture to admire in the area of the Grote Market and lots of places to eat and snack and watch the world go by. I believe that the area has frequent antiques markets outdoors also. The square also hosts live music and performances. Worth checking beforehand whats on.
Raymond Leadingham (4 years ago)
I've stayed here a few times and it was OK. Sometimes difficult to get someone on the front desk. Room was moderately come, but I always ended up with a single bed. I also had a lot of issues with mosquitoes in my room.
Levi 019 (4 years ago)
Bruges Belfort is better
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Externsteine Stones

The Externsteine (Extern stones) is a distinctive sandstone rock formation located in the Teutoburg Forest, near the town of Horn-Bad Meinberg. The formation is a tor consisting of several tall, narrow columns of rock which rise abruptly from the surrounding wooded hills. Archaeological excavations have yielded some Upper Paleolithic stone tools dating to about 10,700 BC from 9,600 BC.

In a popular tradition going back to an idea proposed to Hermann Hamelmann in 1564, the Externsteine are identified as a sacred site of the pagan Saxons, and the location of the Irminsul (sacral pillar-like object in German paganism) idol reportedly destroyed by Charlemagne; there is however no archaeological evidence that would confirm the site's use during the relevant period.

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The Externsteine gained prominence when Völkisch and nationalistic scholars took an interest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This interest peaked under the Nazi regime, when the Externsteine became a focus of nazi propaganda. Today, they remain a popular tourist destination and also continue to attract Neo-Pagans and Neo-Nazis.

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