Discovering Belgium

"What is this Belgium like that awaits me?" This was the question I asked myself before coming to this quaint country last weekend. In fact, I discovered that I knew very little about Belgium until I came to visit it.

First, there is no such thing as a Belgian language. The people speak two languages—on the north side of the country they speak Dutch (more pure than Holland, without so much English influence), and on the south side, French. The explanation for this is that the country holds two communities of different origins, the Flemings (descendants of the people of Flanders) to the north and the Walloons (Frankish descent) to the south.

Second, Belgium is recognised as being the real country of "french" fries (not France, neither Holland). Also, it is the country of beer (they say there is a different kind for each day of the year) as well as chocolate (stronger and more bitter than the Swiss kind).

Belgium is a country that seems to be formed by a mixture of other countries and cultures, mainly from Holland, France, and Germany. In land area, it is a little smaller than Holland and less populated, having about 10 million inhabitants while Holland has 16. The Belgian architecture received a strong influence from Holland, but is more diversified. The old buildings are straight and rectangular, with large windows, as in Holland. There are also a lot of churches and buildings, many of them public, in Roman and Gothic style. Some buildings still are found in the Classic style, with large columns, such as Brussels' Stock Market building.

Between the 16^th and 18^th centuries, Belgium belonged to the Spanish Empire. In 1815, the country was annexed to Holland. 16 years later, in 1831, it became independent. Currently, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg form what is called the Benelux, which makes up a region without customs barriers.

A strange peculiarity of the Belgian people is the difference between the culture in the north part of the country and the south. Their proximity to other countries, as well as their climate and historical background have influenced each region differently (the same as what happens and can been seen in Brazil in the different regions and sub-regions). In Belgium's northern half, next to Holland, the majority of the people speak English along with Dutch and French. In the south, however, the part closer to France, they really prefer French and are not very interested in other languages, including Dutch and English.

In the Belgian schools, it is obligatory to teach the two most-spoken languages, French and Dutch, along with a third, which can be English or German. For this reason, the Belgians are very open to the world and well educated.

But not everyone knows two languages. About one year ago, there was a train accident because the machinists were unable to communicate by phone. One of them spoke only Dutch, and the other only French. They did not understand each other and the result was a head-on collision and seven people died along with much damage.

I visited three cities in Belgium: Brussels, Bruges, and Gent.

Brussels

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and it is also the most populated one in the country. It has a cosmopolitan feel with many modern undertakings and buildings. Some years ago, due to the Belgian's predisposition to change, boldness, and openness to Europe and the world, Brussels took on the role of the Centre of the European Union.

Furthermore, because it is a large city, Brussels carries much of the country and Europe's history inside the walls of old buildings, despite some being poorly conserved. The best of its architecture is in the centre of the city.

The Grandplace, a famous spot of the city, is a kind of square surrounded by old buildings of a Baroque style. In the 12^th century, this was the political and economic centre of the city. In 1695, the square was destroyed and it took 4 years to reconstruct, finishing by 1700. Today, some buildings serve as governmental headquarters, as museums, hotels, and stores. The square is truly amazing and the buildings marvellous. In the evening, the square takes on a very special atmosphere because of the illumination of the buildings and the show of lights. It is also common for cultural presentations to take place there and music shows, which can be seen in the next images. During the night, the centre of Brussels is very busy with a lot of tourists walking around. There are many bars, restaurants, pubs, and dancing halls for all tastes.

An interesting point of Brussels is the Manneken Pis Fountain, which is a small statue of a little boy urinating that dates back to 1619. There are many legends about this statue, making it an important tourist point. This made me remember about a doll that came out in Brazil when I was a child called Manequinho. Now I know from where they got the name.

Another beautiful spot in Brussels is the Saint-Michel Cathedral. It began to be built in 1220 in a gothic style. The windows, from the 16^th century, are beautiful. For those that enjoy museums, in the 500-year Park there is a museum on the country's military history, another museum on the Belgian art history, and another on cars.

Bruges

This city is famous in Europe for its medieval aspect. All the houses are of European style, as well as the "places", which are common throughout all of Belgium. The "places" are a type of square but without gardens or benches, with important buildings all around. The buildings belonging to the city hall are magnificent and beautiful, dating back to 1420, and the St, Saviour’s Cathedral to the 12^th century. Bruges is surrounded by a canal that used to serve as a protection for the city (during the time that is also called "burg") during the Middle Ages. Along the canal, toward the entrance of the city, there are still very old porticoes and windmills.

Bruges is a very old city, dating back to the 9^th century. It became one of the commercial centres of Europe beginning in the 11^th century, thanks to its direct access to the sea. It was famous for its production of fabrics that were exported throughout Europe. It was also the home to the first building to exchange merchandise and money in the world, in the house of the Van der Beurse family, which was a clan in the mercantile area. The name Beurse gave origin to the word "beurs" which in Dutch means international trade, and was later incorporated by different languages of the world.

During the 15^th century, the arts and banking activities flourished immensely in Bruges because of the arrival of the Dukes of Burgundy. The city became the home for famous painters and during this time many of its attractions were built such as the city hall buildings, the Old Lady Church, the Mary of Burgundy Mausoleum, as well as churches and commercial buildings.

With the passing of time, and with the swing of tides in politics, Bruges went losing its commercial power. Meanwhile, Antwerp, a Belgian city more to the north, which today is the second largest port in Europe, after Rotterdam, went gaining ascendance as the commercial hub. The loss was so great that during the 19^th century, Bruges became a poor and backward city, so it had to take on a new role—value its history, monuments, and culture. Today, Bruges is known in the entire world as one of Europe's tourism poles. In today's age, the city has become the capital of European culture and is host to many attractions.

Gent

This city is home to one of the main universities in Belgium. It has less tourism but still does have exceptional tourist points. Personally, I don't think it is any lower than Bruges. Churches, "places", canals, old home of medieval times and even a castle called Het Gravensteen (The Castle of Counts!), built by Philip of Alsacia, in 1180. It is located in the centre of the city and it is possible to visit the inside (students get a discount) and see the rooms, cellars, and forts. It is very interesting. Inside the castle, there is an exposition of medieval weapons, with armour, swords (huge!), and riffles. It is incredible to see how much attention they gave to minute details. The armour is full of intricacies. There is also an exposition of torture where the objects that they used to torture criminals and prisoners can be seen. The cathedral of Sint Baafskathedraal is worth visiting. Not only is it beautiful from the outside with a mixture of Gothic with Romanesque style, but the interior is full of paintings and old articles. The pipe organ dates back to 1653 and the pulpit to 1741.