Groeninge Monument

Memorial to the 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs, on the site of the battle itself

The Groeninge Monument stands in the Groeningemeers park on the southwestern edge of the old city, on the approximate site of the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302. The monument, a neo-Gothic structure topped with a lion, was erected in 1906 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the battle. Nearby, the Groeningepoort (Golden Spurs Gate) marks the edge of the battlefield.

The park itself is pleasant — a quiet green space that sees far fewer visitors than the Grote Markt — and the walk from the Broeltorens takes about ten minutes. The context of the battle, and why it matters to Flemish identity, is explained on panels around the monument.

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A story
The Battle of the Golden Spurs on July 11, 1302, saw a force of Flemish craftsmen and peasants defeat the mounted knights of the French king Philip IV — one of the most surprising upsets in medieval warfare. The victors collected over 700 gilded spurs from the fallen French knights and hung them in the local church. The battle is still commemorated as the Flemish national holiday on July 11 each year.