The Porter

This impressive concrete monument along the E17 is a symbol of the many cross-border workers of the past. They crossed the border from the Kortrijk region to work in the textile industry in Northern France. They left at the crack of dawn, first on foot, then by bike and later on with the special buses and trains for cross-border workers.

The four points of the 35-metre-high Sjouwer represent the four cardinal directions. The largest point symbolically points towards France.

At De Sjouwer there is also a fictional tree, a creative way to pull antennas away from the eye.

You can reach the monument via the adjacent cycle path.

Visit Kortrijk