Kortrijk – Church of Our Lady
A stay in a Kortrijk hotel is a great opportunity to visit Kortrijk’s splendid Our Lady’s Church. The church is considered to be the oldest building in Kortrijk, built in 1199 and established by Count Baldwin I, the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
The History of the Church
The church has had a pivotal place in the history of the County of Flanders, one of the territories comprising what was then known as the Low Countries. The church was once part of the very first Kortkijk Castle, further establishing its central role in the history of Kortkijk. Located in the city centre, near to the Damier hotel and within easy walking distance of any central Kortrijk hotel. Following the famous Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, the townspeople hung the 500 spurs taken from the fallen French from the ceiling of the church, only for them to be later liberated by light-fingered mercenaries. The 500 spurs have been replaced in replica form and can be seen in the church today.
The church was further consolidated into the town’s defensive wall, with the castle and chapel built in 1307 by Lodewijk van Maele in honour of Saint Catherine, however, both the castle and chapel were destroyed in 1382 following the Battle of Westrozebeke. The church was later rebuilt, but this time in the style that was popular in the fifteenth century. The castle itself was left to fall into disrepair and no longer exists in its full form, with only the church, Broeltowers and the Artillery tower.
The interior of the church was destroyed in 1578 by iconoclasts. It was then repaired in the baroque style. The chapel contains paintings of all of Flanders’ rulers – the Chapel of the Courts, and is of particular interest to most tourists visiting the site. The church also features an alabaster statue of Saint Catherine, a late baroque alter and A. Van Dyck’s famous painting, ‘the Erection of the Cross’.
A fascinating visit
There are plenty of reasons making Our Lady’s Church a place to visit during your stay in a Kortrijk hotel. Kortrijk’s position on the frontier between France and Belgium, and the shifting sands of the national boundaries during the centuries, including the county being part of the Country of Flanders, the Low Countries and Belgium, is reflected in the Church of Our Lady, making it an essential destination for anyone visiting Kortrijk.
Looking for a Kortrijk hotel Roberta Stuart is the Travel Manager for World Hotels, a company offering the best rooms at a Kortrijk hotel and a selection of unique and four and five star hotels around the world.
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