Belgium: Land & People

The area of present-day Belgium has been a crossroads of European history for centuries — from Roman province, through the Holy Roman Empire, the Spanish and Austrian Netherlands, the French under Napoleon, to the Netherlands.

1830 saw Belgium fight for its independence in a revolution, becoming a constitutional monarchy. First king: Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Belgium was an industrial powerhouse of the 19th century (coal, steel, textiles). The colonialism in Congo under Leopold II left dark marks, which are critically examined today.

Both World Wars impacted Belgium as a battlefield (Flanders Fields, Battle of the Bulge). Brussels has been the de facto capital of the EU since 1958, also hosting NATO headquarters.

Since the 1970s, the gradual transformation into a federal state — language conflicts between Flemings and Walloons continue to shape politics today.

Belgium has three equal official languages, distributed across geographical zones:

• Dutch (about 60%) — in Flanders in the north. Local variants are called "Vlaams" (Flemish), but are officially Dutch
• French (about 39%) — in Wallonia in the south as well as in Brussels (which is officially bilingual but de facto French-dominated)
• German (about 1%) — in nine municipalities of the Eastern Cantons: Eupen, St. Vith, Malmedy, etc.

Brussels is officially bilingual Dutch-French, but in everyday life, French dominates. Language conflicts continue to shape Belgian politics today.

For tourists: In Flanders, English and often German are widely spoken. In Wallonia, French dominates, sometimes with basic English knowledge.

Belgium is an underrated gourmet destination — per capita, Belgium has one of the highest densities of Michelin stars worldwide.

Signature Dishes

• Moules-frites — mussels (moules marinières, vin blanc, à la crème, etc.) with fries. Season: September-April
• Carbonnade flamande — Flemish beef stew with beer, usually with a dark beer marinade
• Waterzooi — fish or poultry stew with vegetables in a creamy sauce (from Ghent)
• Steak-frites — steak with fries, often with Béarnaise or pepper sauce
• Stoemp — mashed potatoes with vegetables, traditional fare
• Chicon au gratin — endive gratin with ham and cheese
• Boulets liégeois — Liège-style meatballs in a sweet syrup sauce
• Americain préparé — raw, marinated beef (not tartare, but already seasoned)

Sweet & Snacks

• Belgian Waffles — Brussels waffle (large, rectangular, powdered sugar) and Liège waffle (smaller, sweeter, with pearl sugar)
• Pommes frites — Belgian tradition, originally fried in beef kidney fat. Standard sauce: mayo
• Pralines & Chocolate — global gold standard
• Speculoos — spiced cookies, as a spread on bread

Beer

The "Belgian beer culture" was recognized as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2016. Belgium's six Trappist breweries (Westvleteren, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Achel) are world-renowned. Other styles include:

• Lambic & Geuze — spontaneously fermented beers (Brussels and surroundings)
• Witbier — wheat beer with coriander and orange peel (Hoegaarden)
• Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel — strong abbey beers
• Saison — sparkling, rustic from Wallonia

Painting

• Flemish Primitives: Jan van Eyck (Ghent Altarpiece), Hans Memling, Rogier van der Weyden
• Pieter Bruegel the Elder (peasant scenes, "Children's Games," "The Hunters in the Snow")
• Peter Paul Rubens — Baroque master, world career from Antwerp
• James Ensor — symbolist-expressionist, from Ostend
• René Magritte — Surrealist ("Ceci n'est pas une pipe")
• Paul Delvaux — Surrealism

Comics

• Hergé — "The Adventures of Tintin," since 1929
• Peyo — "The Smurfs" (1958)
• Morris — "Lucky Luke" (1947)
• Edgar P. Jacobs — "Blake and Mortimer"
• André Franquin — "Gaston" and "Spirou"

The Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels and the Comic Book Route through Brussels' city center (over 60 murals) are a must for fans.

Music & Fashion

• Jacques Brel — Chansonnier
• Stromae — contemporary pop
• Antwerp Six — fashion avant-garde of the 1980s (Dries Van Noten, etc.)