More About Belgium
More About Brussels
Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the seat of NATO and the European Union (EU), is among the world’s most sophisticated and cosmopolitan cities. Apart from French, Dutch and German, English is spoken in this European hub which is home to several multinational companies.
Brussels has several attractions for the visitor. Among the cynosures unique to this city are the Palais des Nations (the Royal Palace) with its grand facades; the majestic square Grand’Place with its rows of finely built houses overlooking the grand Hotel de Ville; the conspicuous fountain of Manneken-Pis at the intersection of Rue de l’Etuve and Rue du Chene; the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie; and the Palais des Beaux Arts.
Also available for the tourist are entertainment events galore including the annual Jazz Festival and the Queen Elizabeth Music Competition attended by enthusiastic musicians from across the world.
Belgian architecture is unique with a blend of Baroque, Gothic, Nouveau and Romanesque styles. Folklore plays an important part in Belgian life. Its cities are noted for several exquisite monuments of art and pageantry: art museums, historical edifices, castles and carnivals, music and theatre, festivals and events. Belgium has a lot more to see and enjoy than the suave, bureaucratic buildings that line its capital city.
Consider ultra-modern Antwerp, a city that charms with its uppish lifestyles, fashion and design, art and antiquity, all set against the stark and pristine beauty of the Ardennes mountains in the east. And to the west you have the sprawling sands of the coastline resorts with their exotic beers, delicate cuisine, special waffles, Belgian chocolates and throbbing nightlife on offer.
Wallonnia in the south is noted for its many Ardennes hills and gardens, country inns and castles, monasteries and mountain ranges. The city of Liege is renowned in the whole of Europe for its advanced glassworks and metallurgy, gun foundries and coal mining. Located on the river Meuse, Namur is a fortified bastion city of historic and strategic importance. The Citadel of Namur is a must-see monument.
Tournai is synonymous with the famed Cathedral of Notre Dame built in Gothic/Romanesque style. Also found here is the Palace of the Prince-Bishops, an 18th century architectural wonder and one among the largest Gothic structures in Europe. Specially to be relished in Wallonnia are the exotic beers and cheese varieties.
Flanders captivates with its lush green fields, great blue skies, trees and canals, carillons and carnivals, beer and breweries, and the unique sister-cities of Antwerp and Bruges. Antwerp is a historic university centre and hub of the diamond industry. Bruges, a medieval city fondly called “Venice of the North” has cobbled streets and canal networks, and is a listed World Heritage Site of the UNESCO. Ghent is a castle town and main inland port with bustling industrial activity.
Belgium is named after the belgae, a Celtic tribe that lived in this area. As early as in 57 BC, Julius Caesar extended his Roman empire to parts of Europe that included Belgium. After the pillage of northern Europe by the Vikings, in the Middle Ages, Belgium survived through trading and manufacturing that mostly centred around the towns of Antwerp, Bruges, Liege, and Ghent.
After several wars and dynasties, in the early 1500s, the Lowlands, the Netherlands and Luxembourg came under the reign of the Holy Roman Empire of King Charles V. Subsequently the Protestants carved out the Netherlands in the north and named it the United Provinces. The remaining area came under the Catholic dominated region which comprises most of modern-day Belgium.
The Spanish ruled over Belgium for about two centuries. In 1713, with the Treaty of Utrecht, the Austrian Hapsburgs regained control, but again in 1794 Napoleon annexed the country as a part of the French empire. When Napoleon capitulated in 1815, Belgium became a part of the Netherlands. A rebellion in 1830 saw the country gaining independence from the Netherlands and a German prince, Leopold I, became their first king. Belgium continues to this day as a federal state with a constitutional monarchy. With many Belgians actively participating in both World Wars, the country witnessed some fiercely fought battles in the 20th century.
