EUROPEAN LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME BLAID ... - Docweb

EUROPEAN LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME 

GRUNDTVIG 

BLAID PROJECT 

Visiting Belgium 

15-16-17 April 2008 

Zeliha KARAMAN 

BLAID – project Visit to Belgium 15-17 April 2008 KHKempen p.1 /44

BELGIUM 

QUICK FACTS 

Capital……...Brussels(Bruxelles) 

Population…10.020.000 

Area……….. 30.520(square kilometers) 

Currency….. 1 euro=100 cent 

Languages… Flemish(Dutch),French&German 

Religions……Roman(Catholic) 

The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe bordered by France, the 

Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg and is one of the founding and core 

members of the European Union. Belgium has a population of over ten million 

people, in an area of around 30,000 square kilometres. 


Straddling the cultural boundary between Romance and Germanic Europe,Belgium is 

linguistically divided. It has two main languages: 60% of its population , mainly in 

the region Flanders, speak Dutch, 35-40% of its population speaks French. Less than 

1% speak German in the German speaking Community in the east of Wallonia. 

At the start of 2004 nearly 92% of the Belgian population were nationalcitizens, and 

around 6% were citizens from other European Union member countries. The 

prevalent foreign nationals were Italian (183,021),French (114,943), Dutch (100,700), 

Moroccan (81,763), Spanish (43,802),Turkish (41,336), and German (35,530). 

The climate is maritime temperate, with significant precipitation in all seasons. The 

average temperature is lowest in January at 3 °C , and highest in July at 18 °C. 

Belgian cultural life is concentrated within each language community, and a variety 

of barriers have made a shared cultural sphere less pronounced. There has beensince 

the 1970s no bilingual universities except the Royal Military Academy, no common 

media, and no single large cultural or scientific organization in which bothmain 

communities are represented. Despite its politicaland linguistic divisions that have 

been strongly changing during the centuries, the region corresponding to 

today'sBelgium has seen the flourishing of major artistic movementsthat have had 

tremendous influence on European art and culture. 

Belgium is famous for its chocolates, which are appreciated the world over. Its 

favourite dish is mussels and chips (French fries) which, according to legend, are a 

Belgian invention. 

All over the world, people appreciate the great taste of Belgian chocolate. 

It's right there and it's calling to you: "Eat me, eat me!" But how do you choose the 

very best, in a country that's renowned for its sweets 

A fine place to start is around Brussels' famed Grand-Place, where every third shop 

seems to be selling chocolate. Don't drive yourself nuts trying to pinpoint the perfect 

vendor. The Belgian government keeps strict control over chocolate production, so 


ad batches are rare. If you're worried, look for the AMBAO label with the white 

cocoa bean, which guarantees the freshest, tastiest ingredients--and no vegetable fats 

or genetically modified additives. 

Among the best known Belgians are Georges Rémi (Hergé), creator of Tintin, writers 

Georges Simenon and Hugo Claus, composer and singer Jacques Brel and cyclist 

Eddy Merckx. Painters like James Ensor, Paul Delvaux and René Magritte are the 

modern-day successors of Rubens and the other Flemish masters of yesteryear. 

Father of the Belgian comic strip: Hergé: Tintin /Kuifje 

Typical Belgian products 

• Beers 

• Chocolates 

• Belgian lace 

• Belgian tapestries 

• Comic books: Smurfs, Tintin, Suske & Wiske… 

• Books: Georges Simenon 

• Crystal: Val-Saint-Lambert 

Pierre Culliford: the Smurfs 


TOURISM 

• Historic cities: Brussel, Antwerpen, Leuven, Brugge, Gen,Leuven, Mechelen, 

Lier, Hasselt... 

Brussel-Bruxelles-Brussels 

Brussels is the capital city of Belgium.Brussels is more than a 1000 years old. 


Brussels is the headquarters of the French and Flemish Communities. Brussels also 

has an important international vocation : as the European capital the city is home to 

the European Commission and to the Council of ministers of the European Union. 

Brussels is the bilingual capital of Belgium. This means that both French and Dutch 

are the official languages of the city. Street names and traffic sings are always in 

these two languages. Furthermore, it is a cosmopolitan city where many different 

cultures live together and where different languages can be heard on each street. This 

liveliness and international flair is, of course, intimately related to its role as a 

crossroads for all of Europe. 

The same variety and contrast can also be found in the different architectural styles 

that can be found in Brussels, the former capital of the medieval Duchy of Brabant. 

Gothic cathedrals and churches are next to - and sometimes in stark contrast with - 

gracious classical facades like the buildings around the Royal Square (Place Royale - 

Koningsplein), or beautiful art nouveau and art deco houses. 

The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city is the Grand'Place 

(Grote Markt). This historic market square with its splendid guild houses and the 

impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall, is widely considered to be one of the 

most beautiful town squares. 

THE GRAND PLACE 

"One of the most beautiful town squares in Europe, if 

not in the world", is a phrase often heard when visitors 

in Brussels try to describe the beauty of the central 

market square. 

The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to 

know the city is the Grand'Place (Grote Markt). This 

historic market square with its splendid guild houses 

and the impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall, is 

widely considered to be one of the most beautiful town 

squares in Europe. 

Writers like Victor Hugo and Baudelaire were also 

struck by the charm of the market square with its 

beautiful set of Guild houses dominated by the Town 

hall and the King's house. The origins of the Grand- 

Place, however, are humble. The site still formed a sand-bank between two brooks 

which ran downhill to the river Senne. Once the sand-bank was reclaimed it turned 


into the "Niedermerckt", or 'lower market'. Already in the 12th century Brussels had 

become a commercial crossroads between Bruges (in Flanders) , Cologne , and 

France. English wool, French wines and German beer were sold in the harbour and 

on the market. 

During the early Middle Ages small wooden houses were scattered around the 

market, but as from the 14th century the rich and powerful patrician families built 

stone mansions. Gradually the market turned into the main commercial and 

administrative centre of the city. In 1402 the construction of the town hall started 

(which would eventually be completed around 1455). The square had by then already 

become the political centre where meetings were held, where executions took place 

and where dukes, kings and emperors where officially received. In the following 

centuries most wooden houses where replaced with beautifully decorated stone ones, 

mostly owned by the Brussels guilds. 

On August the 13th 1695, however, the prestigious square was bombed to ruins by 

Field Marchal DE VILLEROY. By order of Louis XIV of France he had Brussels 

destroyed in reprisal of a lost Battle in Namur (south Belgium).Between 1695 and 

1700 the guilds rebuilt all the houses. Also the heavily damaged townhall was 

entirely reconstructed.In the 18th and 19th centuries most of the houses became 

private property. After attempts of several owners to modernize the facades of their 

houses, which would have resulted in a mutilation of the unity of style, the mayor of 

Brussels, Karel Buls, decided that the houses of the Grand-Place had to be preserved 

as much as possible in their original style. Since that year the owners of the houses 

are bound by a servitude. 

Nowadays, the Grand-Place is the main tourist attraction of the City of Brussels. All 

through the year it is visited by thousands who like to spend some time wandering 

around and admiring the beautiful buildings, or sitting down on one of the many 

terraces having a good Belgian beer. Concerts and musical happenings are organized 

all through the year on the square. The most famous events that take place here are 

the annual Ommegang (an historical procession at the beginning of July) and the 

biennial flower carpet. 


THE GUILD HOUSES 

The fame and beauty of the Market Place do not lie only in the Town Hall and the 

King's House, but perhaps first of all in the presence of a remarkably beautiful set of 

elaborately decorated guild houses. The name "guild houses" is most commonly used 

for the entire set of houses, although in reality they did not all belong to the medieval 

guilds. Some of the houses were always privately owned. 

During the Middle Ages and later every city in the Low Countries had guilds or 

corporations which always had a stake in the city administration. Because they were 

very wealthy and politically powerful , their importance had to show in their houses 

in which they regularly met to discuss new rules or regulations within their specific 

trade or commerce. 

In Brussels the guilds built their houses, of course, around the main town square. 

After the French bombardment of August 1695, the city ordered the guilds to submit 

the restoration plans of the houses before a final approval could be given for the 

construction. Because of this wise decision the unity of style could be preserved and 

former irregularities could be done away with. 

In the Middle Ages no house numbers were given , but names. There were so few 

stone houses that most people could locate a house just by its name. On the Grand- 

Place the names of the houses are often indicated by a little statue or some part of the 

decoration. Here follows a list of the houses with their names and eventual specific 

historic details. The list starts at the group of houses on the left side of the Town Hall 

and continues clockwise: 

The MOUNTAIN OF THABOR - The ROSE -The GOLDEN TREE - The SWAN 

(Now a renowned restaurant "La maison du Cygne (house of the swan). Karl Marx 

and Friedrich Engels stayed here in 1847 during meetings of the Deutsche 

Arbeiterverein (the German labourers union) - The STAR (In the Middle Ages this 

house was occupied by the Amman, the Duke's representative in the city. Under the 

arcade is a statue of Everard 't Serclaes, a medieval Brussels hero. Legend has it that 

striking the arm of the statue brings luck. 


THE KING’S HOUSE 

At the Market Place, opposite the Town Hall, stands another of the remarkable 

historical Buildings of Brussels. The beautiful neo-gothic building with its many 

decorative statues is the "Maison du Roi" in French or "Broodhuis" in Dutch. It now 

harbours the historical City Museum. 

The Dutch name "Broodhuis" (i.e. bread house) 

clearly shows what the origins of this building 

were. In the beginning of the 13th century a 

wooden construction stood here. It was used by 

the bakers to sell their bread. In 1405 a stone 

building replaced the original wooden bread hall. 

When during the early 15th century the bakers 

turned to selling their products from house to 

house, the ancient bread hall began to be used 

more and more for administrative purposes by the 

Duke of Brabant, hence the French name "Maison 

du Roi". During the reign of emperor Charles V, 

the King's House was rebuild in flamboyant 

Gothic style from 1515 until 1536. In one of the 

rooms of the building the counts of Egmont and 

Hoorne spent their last night before their execution 

by order of Filip II of Spain on the Grand-Place on 

June the 5th 1568. 

After the French bombardment of 1695 the building was restored as far as necessary 

to keep it from collapsing. In the following centuries it was used for different 

purposes (e. g. as "Maison du Peuple - the people's house, after the French 

revolutionists had taken over power in the country at the end of the 18th century). 

In 1860 the mayor of Brussels, JULES ANSPACH, had convinced the city authorities 

to buy the old King's House which was then in a sorry state. The entire building had 

to be build up from scratch. The restoration was done in the then fashionable neogothic 

style. The architect JAMAER was clearly influenced by the early 16th century 

town hall of the City of Oudenaarde. On June the 2nd 1887 the King's House became 

the City Museum of Brussels On exhibition are original statues of the town hall, 

paintings, wall tapestries and different artifacts which have a relation to the history of 

the city. 

Opening hours: 


Tuesday to Friday : from 10 am till 5 pm 

Weekends and holidays : from 10am till 1pm 

Closed on Mondays. 

THE SAINT NICHOLAS CHURCH 

In the Boterstraat / Rue au Beurre, close to the Market Place, is one of the oldest 

churches of Brussels, the Saint Nicholas Church. The church was named after Saint 

Nicholas, the patron saint of the traders, which was not surprising because the trade 

center, the market, was just around the corner. The church was built in an 

asymmetrical way because in the earlier days an irregular and small brook used to run 

through this street. 

. 

The entrance to the Saint Nicholas church dates from the second half of the 12th 

century. The choir was completed in 1381 and the side-chapel, devoted to the Holy 

Virgin, was constructed in 1486. During the religious troubles in the 16th century, the 

church was plundered. In 1695, during the bombing of Brussels by the French troops, 

it burned completely. In one of the pillars of the Holy Virgin chapel one can still see 

a canon ball from that tragic event. During the Middle-Ages the relatively high 

church tower served as the city belfry (watchtower), but in 1714 it collapsed, killing 1 

man and 1 pig. 

In 1868 the relics of the so-called "martyrs of Gorkum" were transferred from 

Holland to the Saint-Nicholas church. Since then a shrine containing these relics has 

been exposed to the public. These martyrs were catholic priests that had been tortured 

and executed on the 9th of July 1572 in the Dutch city of Gorinchem (or Gorkum) 

during the religious troubles between Catholics and Protestants in the Low Countries. 


In 1929 a plan was proposed to demolish the church because it hindered the traffic in 

the Boterstraat. Fortunately, the plan was never executed. Very remarkably, the old 

houses surrounding the church have been preserved until today. 

Location: Boterstraat / Rue au Beurre1000 Brussels 

THE SAINT MICHAEL and SAINT GUDULA CATHEDRAL 

This church is to be found at the Treurenberg hill on the edge between lower and 

upper town. Already at the beginning of the 11th century a church was situated here. 

In 1047 the Duke of Brabant, Lambert II, had the relics of Saint Gudula transferred 

from the Saint Gorik church in downtown Brussels to the new church at the 

Treurenberg hill. From that moment on the Saint Gudula and Saint Michael church 

took the lead over all the other churches in Brussels. Lambert II also gave the church 

a chapter of 12 canons (= priests who took care of the services and possessions of the 

church). 


Because of its growing importance, the first St. Gudula church originally built in 

Romanesque style was transformed in gothic style as from the 13th century. Today, 

the foundations of the first church can still be seen under the crypt of the gothic 

cathedral.The gothic choir was constructed between 1226 and 1276, nave and 

transept in the middle of the 15th century. The western facade, completed between 

1450 and 1490, follows the example of the French gothic facades. 

Via a large staircase (built in 1861) the three gates of the entrance can be reached. 

Inside, 12 pillars clearly determine the interior of the cathedral, whereas the triforia 

and glass-stained windows accentuate the later gothic style which allowed more light 

to fall in to the church. The choir is darker because of the smaller window openings. 

In the northern chapel on the left side of the choir, one can see the portraits of several 

kings and emperors who bestowed the richly decorated glass-stained windows: Joao 

III of Portugal, Louis of Hungary, François I of France and Ferdinand I. In the choir 

the windows of the following rulers can be seen: Maximilian of Austria, Philip the 

Beautiful, Charles V, Philip II of Spain, Philibert of Savoy with his wife Margaret of 

Austria. 

MANNEKEN PIS 

New York has the Statue of Liberty, Copenhagen has the mermaid and Brussels has 

the Manneken Pis. This statue of a little boy in a somewhat compromising position 

has since several centuries been a major tourist attraction in the city. When most 

people see our 'manneken', the first reaction is always one of amazement: "Look, how 

small he is ! Why does everybody want to see him " The people of Brussels, 

however, accept him the way he is. After all, it doesn't always have to be big to be 

beautiful. Imagine he would be the size of the Statue of Liberty : Brussels would be 

continuously flooded ! 

Nobody actually knows why the manneken is there. He is believed 

to be nothing more than a decoration on top of a fountain, where 


people in the Middle-Ages came to get fresh water. Already in the 15th century a 

fountain called 'manneken-pis' existed in the Stoofstraat/Rue de l'étuve. The official 

origin can be traced back to the 13th of August 1619 when the city ordered the 

sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a new bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace 

an old and withered one. During the course of the centuries our little manneken has 

often been hidden to protect him against bombs of invading armies. He has also been 

stolen several times by plundering soldiers and even by the citizens of 

Geraardsbergen, a city in Flanders that claims to possess the oldest statue of a peeing 

boy in Belgium. 

A lot of people do not know that the manneken-pis is very often 

dressed. At the moment he has a wardrobe of more than 600 

costumes, which are all preserved in the King's House, or City 

Museum at the Grand-Place, the central market square of the city. He 

received his first costume on May the 1st 1698. The governor of the 

Austrian Netherlands gave the costume on the occasion of festivities 

organized by one of the guilds of Brussels. Many more costumes 

where to follow. Even nowadays he still receives new gear when 

folklorist groups visit Brussels. To thank them for the gift, the 

manneken offers the people of such groups beer which comes directly from a beer 

barrel attached to the statue. Among the more special costumes are for instance : an 

Elvis Presley outfit and a Mickey Mouse costume. 

There are many legends about the Manneken. According to one 

of them a little boy had watered against the door of a witch who 

lived where the fountain now stands. The witch was so angry that 

she turned the little boy into a statue. 

Another legend says that a man had lost his little son. He found 

the child after two days near the place where now the fountain of 

manneken-pis can be seen. When the father spotted his child, the 

latter was peeing. As a token of gratitude the father had the 

fountain with a statue of a peeing boy constructed. 

If the sight of manneken-pis inspires you to new legends, don't 

hesitate to contact the city authorities! 

Location 


On the corner of Stoofstraat/Rue de L'Etuve and the Eikstraat/Rue du Chêne (At the 

Grand-Place follow the street on the left side of the town hall) 

THE ATOMIUM 

This monument from 1958 has become the Eiffel Tower of Brussels. The Atomium is 

the visual representation of the concept of an "atom". It symbolizes an elementary 

iron crystal with its 9 atoms and magnified 150 billion times. It honored the metal 

and iron industry and the belief in the atomic power. The architect was André 

WATERKEYN. It took 18 months to conceive and another 18 months to construct. 

The monument is coated with aluminum, weighs 2.400 tons and is 102 meters high. Each sphere has a diameter of 18 meters. An 

elevator takes visitors to the upper sphere where one can enjoy a panoramic view of 

the Heysel area and (if the weather is good) the city of Brussels. There is also a good 

buffet-restaurant (Chez Adrienne) in the upper sphere. In the other spheres 

expositions are organized. They can be visited by means of escalators. In the past 

years the monument has been completely restored and renovated and is now as shiny 

and beautiful again as in its first years. 

Location: Eeuwfeestlaan/ Boulevard du Centenaire 1020 Brussels (Laken) 

Opening hours: Sept. to March: 10 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. April to August: 9 a.m. till 

7.30 p.m. 

Admission: Adults : 5,45 € (Euro) per person, Children (under 12) : 3,97 € (Euro) 

Groups (as from 20 persons): 4,46 € (Euro) per adult person, 3,47 € (Euro) per child under 12 

Senior citizens : 3,72 € (Euro) 


THE ROYAL PALACE 

During the Austrian rule in the 18th century, empress Maria-Theresia preferred not to 

have the old palace rebuilt because she didn't want the Austrian governor in Brussels 

to feel himself like a king. Only four houses where built on the site where the palace 

now stands. 

It was William I, king of the reunited Netherlands, who decided in 1815 to rebuild 

these houses to turn them into a royal palace. This was finished in 1829. One year 

later Belgium became independent and the new king of Belgium, Leopold I, decided 

to use the new palace as his residence. It was king Leopold II, who had the original 

building turned into the palace like we now know it. This transformation ended in 

1903. 

The palace was used as the residence of the Belgian King until after the death of 

Queen Astrid in 1935, when her husband Leopold III, decided to move his residence 

to the castle of Laken. His successors also resided in Laken. The royal palace in the 

centre is now used as the office of the king and as the residence of the crown prince. 

The royal palace harbours a museum called Belle-vue with a collection about the 

Belgian royal dynasty. 

THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS 


Opposite of the royal palace is the 'Palace of 

the Nation', or the Belgian Parliament. 

During the reconstruction of the royal quarter 

in 1777, the town authorities decided to 

construct a new building for the Council of 

Brabant. This medieval institution was the 

supreme court of justice for the dukedom of 

Brabant, as well as the official institution that 

gave executive power to the laws of the duke. 

After the Belgian independence in 1830 it was, of course, the ideal place to house the 

Parliament of the new state. The architect was Barnabé GUIMARD, who constructed 

this monumental building in harmony with the other classical constructions around 

the royal park. 

In the 'Hertogstraat/Rue Ducale', on the left side of the royal palace stands the Palace 

of Academics. The classical building with its sober decoration was built in 1820 to 

become the residence of William-Frederic of Orange, crown prince of the United 

Kingdom of the Netherlands (i.e.: the period between 

1815 and 1830 when Belgium and Holland were 

reunited for a short time). After the Belgian 

independence the building was offered to crown-prince 

Leopold II, the future King. Since he never stayed 

there, the building became the seat of the Royal 

Academy of Sciences, Literature and Beautiful Arts in 

1876. 

THE ROYAL PARK 

The entire area of the royal park and the royal square is 

situated on the site where the medieval court of Brabant 

used to stand. This enormous palace dated from the 

11th century when the duke of Brabant left his 'castrum' 

in the centre of the city. A new castle was built on the 

so-called 'Koudenberg' at the edge where the higher 

part of Brussels stops and the lower part begins. The successors of the dukes (e.g. 

Filip the Good and Charles V) kept enlarging the palace which turned into one of the 

most beautiful and picturesque royal residences in medieval Europe. The entire 

complex, however, burnt down in 1731 during the Austrian rule of the Southern 

Netherlands. The palace was never reconstructed. 

A part of this royal residence was the 'warande', or the forest and the park of the 

palace. In 1775 the Austrian governor decided, together with the City of Brussels, to 

construct an new prestigious and modern residential area. The former park was 


almost like a forest in the city, with hills and little valleys where game and other 

animals lived. The Austrian empress Maria-Theresia agreed to turn the forest into a 

new park in classical style for the rich citizens of Brussels to spend their free time in. 

The park was leveled, new trees were planted and the roads where traced according to 

geometrical plans. The architects were GUIMARD and the Austrian Joachim 

ZINNER. Classical statues were placed in the park, some of which had come from 

the burned residence. In 1780 a Waux-Hall was built, where music was to be played 

and where people could sit down and relax while having a drink or something to eat. 

In 1803 a dinner for 1800 people was organized there in honour of Napoleon and his 

wife Josephine. 

In September 1830 the royal park became the cradle of the Belgian independence. 

After an uproar had broken out in the Brussels Opera, the revolutionary army fought 

the Dutch army in the royal park in order to break away from the union with Holland 

and the Dutch king, William I. The Dutch army had to leave Brussels on September 

the 27th, which finally resulted in the creation of a new state, Belgium. 

THE SABLON SQUARE 

Sablon is one of the most prestigious and attractive areas in Brussels. In recent years 

it has become the center of the antiques shops and art galleries. 

The name of this area refers to the 

time when it was still situated 

outside of the city walls of the 12th 

century. It was originally a sandy 

road along which people had access 

to the city gates. Because of 

frequent use this road had become 

hollow and on both sides a 


yellowish earth layer could be seen. This type of sandy clay was called "zavel" in 

Dutch and "sablon" in French. In the 14th century a small chapel in the sablon area 

was transformed into an important pilgrimage site where a miraculous statue of Our 

Lady was venerated. Very soon the area became more populated and was enclosed 

within the 14th century city walls. Around 1450 the little chapel had been 

transformed into a beautiful gothic church, the Sablon church or church of Our Lady 

of the Victories. In the following centuries more and more noble men settled in the 

area because it was close to the duke's palace. 

A big change occurred in the second half of the 19th century. The Sablon was divided 

into two parts by the construction of the Regentschapstraat/Rue de la Régence. 

During this period the church was renovated in neo-gothic style and the houses which 

had been attached to it were demolished. On the eastern side of the church a new park 

was laid out, called "De kleine zavel/Le petit sablon". This park is still surrounded by 

48 little statues representing the medieval guilds of Brussels. In the center is the 

statue of the counts of Egmont and Hoorne who were executed at the Market Place by 

order of Philip II of Spain in 1568. 

Nowadays, 

the Sablon is 

visited by lovers of antiques and art because the entire area boasts hundreds of 

antiques shops and art galleries. Especially popular is the weekly antiques market 

which is held on Saturdays from 9 a.m till 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. till 1 

p.m. A lot of people also visit the daily flea market (from 6 

a.m. till 1 p.m.) which is situated at the Vossenplein/Place du 

Jeu de Balle in the adjacent Marolles area. Not only famous 

for its antiques, the Sablon also offers a range of good 

restaurants and pleasant cafés. A visit to WITTAMER, the 

most exclusive pastry maker in Brussels, is also a must. 

THE PALACE OF JUSTICE 


Although this gigantic edifice does not really belong to the Sablon, it nevertheless 

dominates the area. 

It was built between 1860 and 1880 by Joseph POELAERT in eclectic style. It is 

believed to be the biggest building constructed in the 19th century in the world. 

The palace of justice is situated on top of a hill, which was called "gallows hill" in the 

Middle Ages. The dimensions of the palace are awesome: it is 105 m high and covers 

a total surface of 24.000 square meters. It still functions as the supreme court of law 

for Belgium. 

THE CINQUANTENAIRE PARK 

In 1880 Belgium celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence. Therefore, king 

Leopold II wanted to have a world exhibition organized in Brussels. For its location a 

former military exercising ground outside of the center of the city 


was chosen, the so-called "Linthout" plains. In this exhibition the world would be 

able to see that the new state of Belgium was prospering and able to take its place 

between the important nations of Europe. In the second half of the 19th century 

Leopold II had acquired the Congolese colony in Africa which supplied him with 

considerable financial possibilities. He decided to use a part of his new fortune to 

give Brussels the outlook of an important European city. One of his realizations was 

this Cinquantenaire park with its imposing monuments. 

THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH 

The most eye-catching monument 

is, of course, the triumphal arch. 

This arch was built to serve as a 

monument to illustrate the 

glorious past of Brussels. It also 

was to serve as a new entrance 

gate to the center for people 

entering from the eastern side of 

Brussels, via the newly 

constructed Tervurenlaan/Avenue 

de Tervueren. 

The arch was planned for the world exhibition of 1880, but would take a long time to 

be finished. In 1880 only the basis of the colons had been constructed. During the 

exhibition the rest of the arch was completed with wooden panels. In the following 

years the construction and completion of the monument was the topic of a continuous 

battle between the king and the government. 

The Belgian government actually did not 

want to spend so much money on an (in their 

eyes) unnecessary monument. Via private 

funding (for which the king had provided the 

money) the arch was finally completed by 

1905, just in time for the 75th anniversary of 

the Belgian independence. 

The monument was then also crowned with a quadriga, representing the province of 

Brabant. The other 8 provinces were symbolized by allegoric statues at the foot of the 

columns. 


On both sides of the arch are 'galleries of the columns' with mosaics representing and 

glorifying the 'peace-loving nation of Belgium'. These mosaics were made between 

1920 and 1932. 

THE ROYAL SQUARE 

The royal square lies at the Koudenberg/Coudenberg, a natural hill at the edge of the 

medieval city center. Here, the duke of Brabant had a castle built in the 11th century. 

His successors left the city of Leuven, which had been the old capital of the dukedom 

and chose the castle in Brussels as their permanent residence. In the course of the 

following centuries, the dukes of Burgundy and, later, the Habsburg kings and 

emperors all adapted the castle to their needs and wishes. Between 1452 and 1459 

Philip the Good of Burgundy had the Magna Aula constructed. This hall was meant 

for the many meetings of the Council of Brabant and other festivities. By the 16th 

century, the palace had become one of the most impressive and picturesque royal 

residences in Europe. It also had a magnificent 

garden, which is now the royal park. 

In front of the palace was a square called 

"Baliënplein" where the citizens of the city 

met, where markets were organized, as well as 

executions and festivities. Around this square a 

lot of noble families had constructed their 

mansions and houses. The castle itself 

remained the residence of the rulers and the 

governors of the Austrian Netherlands until the 

night of 3 February 1731. That night, a fire 

broke out in the kitchen of the residence. By 

the following day the entire royal complex lay in ruins and could not be used 

anymore. Fortunately a large number of tapestries, paintings and other art objects had 

been saved from the fire. 

In 1769 it was decided between the town 

authorities of Brussels and the court in Vienna 

(empress Maria-Theresa) that the former 

Balienplein should be rebuild in the then 

fashionable neo-classical style, the style of the 

age of enlightenment. Other European cities, 

such as Paris, Nancy and Reims, already had 

squares in that style. It reflected the new ideas 

of the French philosophers Descartes and 

Voltaire. They preferred cities to be urbanized 

according to plans and rules, rather than 

according to the illogical and whimsical 


construction methods of the Middle Ages. 

Until then Brussels had been basically a typical medieval city with winding streets 

and little alleys. The construction of the new royal square was a breech with this 

tradition and already announced the bigger transformations that would take place in 

the city during the reign of king Leopold II in the 19th century. Noble families bought 

part of the square to build their new "hôtels" on, however, according to strict 

architectural rules to preserve the unity of style. The new abbot of the St. James 

church also agreed to build a new church and two houses in exchange for his 

appointment as abbot and member of the Council of Brabant. This church, built in 

neo-classical style, was later crowned with a little tower which does not really fit in 

with the style of the rest of the building. 

Nowadays, one can see in the middle of the square the statue of Godfry of Bouillon, 

leader of the first crusade in 1096. This statue was placed here in 1843 when the new 

state of Belgium wanted to legitimize its historic roots and several statues with 

national personae were erected in the entire country. 

On the corner of the royal square are the buildings of the Museum of Ancient Art as 

well as the Museum of Modern Art. Behind the museum of Modern art the former 

palace of Charles of Lorraine can be seen. He was governor of the Austrian 

Netherlands in the second half of the 18th century. Parts of his palace have been 

replaced by the building of the National Library of Belgium. On the opposite site, a 

beautiful Art Nouveau house attracts all attention. This former shopping center, 

called "Old England" was built in 1900 and has recently been renovated. It will be 

used in the future as the Museum of musical instruments. 

MUSEUMS 

The Museum of the Royal Institute for Natural 

sciences of Belgium gives a fascinating overview of 

natural life in Belgium and elsewhere, now and 

during the course of time. Some of the major rooms 

have been reconstructed to embellish and improve 

the presentation of the collection. 

The major attraction of the museum is its splendid 

collection of the so-called "Iguanadons of 

Bernissart". Skeletons of these dinosaurs were found 

in the late 19th century in the small village of 

Bernissart in the south of Belgium. The beautifully 

reconstructed skeletons draw lots of people every 

year. This is an ideal museum to visit with children. 


Other permanent collections are: 

*the inhabitants of the seas of the Jurassic and 

Cretaceous eras (e.g.: mosasaurs) 

*"of Men and mammoths" : the evolution of mankind, 

with special focus on Ice-age men and their 

environment. 

*the Ishango bone: earliest proof of 

mathematical activity 

*the insect world (e.g. an animated termite mound) 

*whales : 18 skeletons 

*mammals: on display are 80 of the 107 existing mammal families 

*mineralogy : (also fragments of moon rock and meteorites) 

Location: Rue Vautier / Vautierstraat, 291000 Brussels 

Metro Station: Schumann 

MUSEUM OF ANCIENT ART 

This museum lies next to the Museum of modern art. Together they are called "The Museum of 

Fine Arts". This museum harbours a splendid collection of paintings from both the low 

countries and the world. In the entrance hall several sculptures can be seen of Belgian 

and international sculptors (for instance: Meunier, Lambeau, Rodin, etc.) The main 

accent, however, lies on the collection of old masters with its 1200 paintings.On the 

first floor are the masterpieces of the 15th 

and 16th century. Among the famous names 

are: the master of Flémalle, Rogier van der 

Weyden, the master of Aix, Barend van 

Orley, Dirk Bouts, Hieronymus Bosch, 

Lucas Cranach and Quentin Metsys. 

The pride of the museum is of course the 

Bruegel collection, of which the "Landscape 

with the fall of Icarus" is considered to be 

one of the seven wonders of Belgium". This 

is one of the masterpieces of the Brussels 

Museum. One can see here a 'world-landscape', beautifully developed by the painter. 


In it can be seen references to Italy (Bruegel visited this country), references to the 

Flemish landscapes, and the sea landscapes. The fall of Icarus is actually only a detail 

on this painting. When looking clearly, one can see the legs of the drowning Icarus, 

after he fell out of the sky when his wax wings melted because of the heat of the sun. 

Did Bruegel want to tell us that human aspirations mean nothing at all in the great 

scheme of things 

In another part of the museum the Rubens collection can be 

seen (The Ascent to Calvary, The Martyrdom of Saint 

Lievin, etc.), as well as works by other famous painters from 

the 17th century like Jordaens, Teniers, Van Dijck. Present 

is also a beautiful collection of 17th century Dutch 

paintings. The lower level is taken in by the collection of the 

19th century (from realism and the Free society of the fine 

arts, to the symbolism of the 1890s) 

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART 

In 1984 a new museum complex was opened near the Royal Square. In this complex, 

the collection of modern masters of the Museum of the Fine Arts is now housed. The 

entrance, situated in a neo-classical building at Place Royal, leads to the underground 

museum, built around a central light well, where the displays are arranged in 

chronological order, from level -4 to level -8. 

The 'modern' masters of the 19th century, however, are located on the ground level of 

the Museum of Ancient art , which can be reached via an underground passage 

between the two museums. Here are displayed Belgian masters such as: James Ensor 

(The Scandalized Masks), Navez, Wappers, (The days of September), Gallait, Leys, 

Portaels, Stevens, De Braeckeleer, Boulenger and Van Rysselberghe. Foreign artists 

are: David, Ingres, Gauguin, Bonnard, Vuillard, Seurat, Signac, etc.. 


MUSEUM 

AUTOWORLD 

The AUTOWORLD museum in the 

Cinquantenaire Parc is really a 'must' for 

fanatics of old-timer cars. The more than 

400 cars in this museum came mainly 

from the automobile collections of 

Ghislain Mahy and Charly De Pauw. 

On display is the entire history of "the 

Vehicle" of the 20th century, from 1886 

up to the 1970's. 

There is, first of all, a department with 

Belgian automobiles. Although, nowadays, Belgian car brands do no longer exist, 

names such as Minerva, FN, Imperia, Nagant, Germain and Vivinus still ring a bell 

with lovers of the automobile. These came out of Belgian factories in the pre-World 

War II era. 

There are also several foreign 

cars from countries such as the 

United States, Germany, France, 

Italy, and the United 

Kingdom.There are special 

models which belonged to the 

Belgian royal family, to the US 

presidents Franklin Roosevelt 

and J.F.Kennedy. 

Some rare car models are 

represented here: the Bentley 

1928, the Bugatti 1930 and the 

Cord 1930. 

The Autoworld museum disposes of a shop where miniature models can be purchased 

as well as different other paraphernalia. Many of the vehicles can be hired for special 

events such as receptions or movies. 


ANTIQUITY 

Middle East and Ancient Iran 

This collection comprises objects from an extended area, ranging from the 

Mediterranean to the Zagros Mountain range and from the Caspian Sea to The Gulf : 

Cyprus, Anatolia, Palestine, Mesopotamia, the Arab Peninsula, Syria, Fenicia and 

Petra. The Ancient Iran collection gives an overview of the Iranian cultures from 

6.000 B.C until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. 

Egypt 

An overview of Egyptian art from prehistoric times until the Christian era One of the 

most important objects is the so-called "Lady of Brussels", an archaic sculpture 

representing a woman dating from the first dynasties and considered to be one of the 

oldest Egyptian sculptures of a woman, circa 2650 B.C. 

Greece 

The Greek collection was composed primarily in the second half of the 19th century 

and in the beginning of the 20th century with objects which came mainly from 

private collections. The collection is constructed around Greek Vases that lead the 

visitor from the Bronze Age until the Hellenistic era. 

Rome 

This collection is less important than the Greek one. The most important are the floor 

mosaics from Apamea (Syria). 

Byzantium 

The Byzantine collection was founded in 1979 and is the only one of its kind open to 

the public in Belgium. Some objects go back to the Byzantine era, others come from 

different places and eras in the orthodox world. 

NON-EUROPEAN CIVILIZATIONS 

In this part of the museuM, art objects can be seen from different non-European 

civilizations such as: the Islam world, China and Korea, India and Southeast Asia, 

pre-Colombian America, Polynesia and Micronesia (on display is a gigantic statue of 

the Tuna God, brought back from Easter Island in 1935 by the Belgian training ship 

Mercator). 


BRUSSELS IS THE CAPITAL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 

WHY BRUSSELS 

After the Second World War a number of European countries 

felt the need for more cooperation amongst each other in order 

to avoid any future armed conflicts, and also in order to avoid 

being overshadowed by a strong American power. This resulted 

in 1952 in the creation of the European Community for coal 

and steel. 

Already from the start the 

countries disagreed on which 

city would receive the European 

organizations: France preferred the city of 

Saarbrücken (then in France, now again in Germany), 

Luxembourg proposed its own capital city of 

Luxembourg, Holland choose The Hague (Den Haag) 

and Belgium opted for Liège. A temporary solution 

was found and the institutions were divided over Luxembourg and Strasbourg 

(France). 

At the end of 1957 the EEC (European Economic Community) was founded by 

Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Italy. The Belgian Prime 

Minister Paul-Henri Spaak proposed Brussels as seat of the European organizations. 

Again, no agreement was reached, and the political institutions of the EEC 

were (temporarily) housed in Brussels (the European Commission), and Strasbourg 

(the European Parliament). In anticipation of a report, a decision was taken to house 

the administrative services of the EEC in Brussels. For this purpose, the Belgian 

insurance company ROYALE BELGE, constructed offices between the 

Kortenberglaan (Avenue de Kortenberg) and the Blijde Inkomstlaan (Avenue de la 

Joyeuse Entrée) near the Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels. 

In 1958 a vote was organized to come to a definitive solution. Brussels was in the 

lead because of the improved road infrastructure (thanks to the World Exposition 

which took place in Brussels in 1958), and also because of the central location of the 

city and the neutral position of Belgium between the European powers. 


Although Brussels won the vote after two rounds, a definitive decision was again 

postponed. Furthermore, the vote resulted in the start of a system of 'compensation 

policy', whereby Luxembourg and 

Strasbourg also received a part of 

the institutions. 

of BEF and sheduled to be finished by 2001. 

The Berlaymont building, seat of 

the European Commission, built in 

1968. Since 1991 the building is 

empty because of the presence of 

too much asbestos on the inside. 

The renovation undertaken by the 

Belgian State runs into the billions 

In 1964 Luxembourg proposed to re-group and re-devise the administrative services 

of the EEC. On May the 8th 1965 the following was decided upon : Brussels received 

the European Commission, the Economic and Social committee, certain services of 

the European Parliament, the Secretary of the Council of Ministers and the status 

of " city where the Council would gather and function most of the time". Strasbourg 

kept the half-round where the plenary sessions of the European Parliament took 

place. The Secretary of the European Parliament remained in Luxembourg as well as 

the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank. 

As from 1981 numerous members of the European Parliament started to show signs 

of dissatisfaction over the fact that the services of the European Parliament were 

spread over the three cities Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. On October the 

24th the European Parliament decided to construct a new seat for itself in the Quartier 

Léopold (Leopoldswijk) in Brussels. This decision met with strong French opposition 

(France could not accept that its city of Strasbourg would no longer house the 

European Parliament half-round). This was later confirmed by the European Court 

that decided "that the sessions of the European Parliament in Brussels should remain 

exceptional". 


THE EUROPEN PARLIAMENT 

The European Parliament (Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary 

institution of the European Union (EU). Together with the Council of the European 

Union (the Council), it forms the bicameral legislative branch of the Union's 

institutions and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the 

world.[1] The Parliament and Council form the highest legislative body within the 

Union. However their powers as such are limited to the competencies conferred upon 

the European Community by member states. Hence the institution has little control 

over policy areas held by the states and within the other two of the three pillars of the 

European Union. The Parliament is composed of 785 MEPs (Member of the 

European Parliament), who serve the second largest democratic electorate in the 

world (after India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world 

(342 million eligible voters in 2004). 

It has been directly elected every five years by universal suffrage since 1979. 

Although the European Parliament has legislative power that such bodies as those 

above do not possess, it does not have legislative initiative like most national 

parliaments. While it is the "first institution" of the European Union (mentioned first 

in the treaties, having ceremonial precedence over all authority at European level), 

the Council has greater powers over legislation than the Parliament where codecision 

procedure (equal rights of amendment and rejection) does not apply. It has, however, 

had control over the EU budget since the 1970s and has a veto over the appointment 

of the European Commission. 


The European Parliament has two meeting places, namely the Immeuble Louise 

Weiss in Strasbourg, France, which serves for plenary sessions and is the official seat 

and the Espace Léopold complex in Brussels, Belgium, the smaller of the two, which 

serves for preparatory meetings and complementary, non-plenary sessions. The cost 

of having all MEPs and their staff moving several times a year from one place to 

another has been of concern to some. The Secretariat of the European Parliament, the 

Parliament's administrative body, is based in Luxembourg. 

The President of the European Parliament (its speaker) is currently Hans-Gert 

Pöttering (EPP), elected in January 2007. He presides over a multi-party chamber, the 

two largest groups being the European People's Party-European Democrats (EPP-ED) 

and the Party of European Socialists (PES). The last Union-wide elections were the 

2004 Parliamentary Elections, however Romania and Bulgaria joined in 2007 and are 

electing their members this year (see European Parliament election, 2007); the next 

union-wide parliamentary elections are in 2009 (see European Parliament election, 

2009). 


Antwerpen-Anvers-Antwerp 

Antrewp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp 

province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is ca. 

461,496 (as of January 2006) and its total area is 204.51 km² with a population 

density of 2,257 inhabitants per km². 

Antwerp has long been an important city in the nations of the Benelux both 

economically and culturally. It is located on the right bank of the river Scheldt, which 

is linked to the North Sea by the Westerschelde. 

Antwerp is the real urban deal, a refreshingly down-to-earth yet vivacious 

cosmopolitan habitat blessed with magnificent architecture, fashionable shop fronts, 

beer-washed pubs, dazzling monuments, jazzed-up clubs, inspired artworks and 

restaurant tables piled with plates of superb Belgian and multicultural food. Antwerp, 

home of the Flemish Baroque master Rubens, not only has a wealth of outstanding 

museums, picturesque galleries, sculpted streets and beautiful architecture, but is also 

laced with refreshing greenery and urban haunts. Its culture, history, vibrant nightlife 


and world class shopping are within easy reach, thanks to excellent access by air, 

train, motorway and even water. Antwerp, a pocketsize metropolis. 

Antwerp ....the Rubens’ city par excellence, the world diamond centre, a city of 

fashion designers and fashion trendsetters, a world port and City-on-the-River, a 

bustling Burgundian city, a real shoppers’ paradise, a gallery of protected monuments 

and cityscapes, a welcoming and multicultural metropolis with a convivial and 

chockfull of atmosphere ... and of course a lot more. 

Antwerp, city by the water 

Antwerp owes its very existence and its prosperity to the River Scheldt. Over the 

centuries the city and the port have expanded into a maritime metropolis. 

Visitors who are strolling along the river quays will notice a lot of new buildings. 

Contemporary architecture there often refers to the maritime aspect of the city - 

Antwerp is very clearly facing the water again. At sunset the colours of the Scheldt 

change. The signals on the water, the lights of the ships and the port installations 

bring a surprisingly enchanting spectacle. 


The Port of Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe, is one of the ten largest 

ports worldwide and also the most productive. A dense network of rivers and canals, 

road and railways ensures an easy connection to the European hinterland. 

Today the Antwerp Port covers the area north of the city and stretches out over some 

13,500 ha. You can discover the area by boat or by car. For those who like to use 

their own car, Tourism Antwerp has developed the 'Port Route' brochure. The 

signposted route reduces your chances of getting lost on the 350 km of roads in the 

Antwerp port. The Port Route itself takes you along a route of 40 or 65 km on a 

voyage through 1,000 years of port history. The route starts at the medieval Steen 

fortress and runs along the 19th Century port and the most modern installations. 

Culture 

Antwerp, Rubens’ art room and contemporary culture experience 

Antwerp has a rich, historic past and still is a cultural pole of attraction today. 

Antwerp can rightfully pride itself on its rich , historic past with world famous artists 

such as Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens and Brueghel. Through the centuries the city 

has managed to develop a rich and unique, valuable cultural heritage. The city’s 

museums and historic churches are treasuries in which many of these riches are 

preserved and on diplay. Take time to stop and admire the cityscapes, the protected 

monuments and the various statues as well as the Madonnas and other saints that 

grace Antwerp’s streets. 

And even today Antwerp has a sparkling cultural and artistique life. With world 

famous and lesser known artists, big and small cultural talents. With many theatres, 

cinemas, galleries, dance and concert stages. With big established culture houses and 

experimental free ports. With talked-about and intimate architecture. 


Statue of Rubens on the Groenplaats 

Antwerp; diamond centre of the world 

Antwerp World Diamond Centre is not just a slogan. “Antwerp quality” and 

“Antwerp cut” are international trade terms synonymous with perfect processing and 

flawless beauty. 

Antwerp has a long and magnificent tradition as a diamond city. Since the 15th 

Century the city has played an important role in the diamond trade and industry. 

After the port, the diamond industry is the second pillar of commercial activities. 

Some 1,500 diamond companies are concentrated in the city centre. In less than one 

square kilometre, nearby Central Station, more than half of all cut diamonds pass 

through a network of diamond cutting shops, diamond bourses and selling centres. Of 

the 25 diamond exchanges worldwide, 4 operate in Antwerp. Elegant showrooms 

offer the visitor fascinating tours and the opportunity to visit interesting exhibitions. 


The Antwerp cut 

Antwerp, city of fashion makers 

As a fashion city Antwerp owes its reputation to the pioneers of the fashion 

movement, the so-called 'Antwerp Six': Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann 

Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina 

Yee travelled to London and Paris together in the Eighties as well as Martin Margiela 

(the seventh). Together they conquered the fashion world with their very distinct 

vision of fashion. 


In the wake of this inspirational movement a new generation of designers entered the 

field in the Nineties: Lieve Van Gorp, Anna Heylen, Stephan Schneider, Wim Neels 

and Christophe Broich. The movement has grown ever since. Raf Simons, Veronique 

Branquinho, A.F. Vandevorst, Jurgi Persoons, Angelo Figus, Bernhard Willhelm, 

Bruno Pieters, Tim Van Steenbergen, Anke Loh, Dirk Schönberger, Marjolijn Van 

den Heuvel, Christian Wijnants, Haider Ackermann, Erik Verdonck, Tom Notte and 

Bart Vandebosch for Les Hommes are all designers who have studied in Antwerp and 

still have an atelier, showroom or store in Antwerp. 

Since 2002 the fashionable city of Antwerp also has its own fashion centre: the 

ModeNatie. 

In this unique building in the historic centre of Antwerp the Flanders Fashion 

Institute, the Antwerp Fashion Academy, an artistic book store and a brasserie have 

all found a new home. 

The high point of the Antwerp fashion season is the yearly fashion show of the 

Antwerp Academy, which draws more than 6,000 international visitors. 

GEEL 


Geel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality 

rather recently (80's) got the status of a city. It comprises Central-Geel which is 

constituted of 4 old parishes a/o towns : St-Amand, St-Dimfna, Holven and 

Elsum.Geel had a total population of 35,189. The total area is 109.85 km² which 

gives a population density of 320 inhabitants per km². Geel’s patron saint, the Irish 

Saint Dymphna, inspired the town’s unique method of care for the mentally ill. The 

city is also featured in Ciaran Carson's novel Shamrock Tea (Granta 2001). 

Geel is a regional agricultural, industrial, and commercial center offering medical and 

educational services to the neighboring communities. The city is the location of a 

Janssen Pharmaceutica chemical factory and a production site for the biotech 

company Genzyme. 

Some archeological founds in 2006 from the iron and Stone Age prove that some 

people lived here between. 750 and 50 before Criste. Archeologist discovered also a 

medieval farm from the 9th-12th century. 

. 

In 1247 Petrus Cameracencis (France), wrote down the ‘Vita Sanctae Dimpnae’. He 

wrote down the story of St.-Dimpna as told by the local people. 

The first official document dates from 1155. Geel was a village in the “Kempen”, a 

poor region with agriculture. 

After the second World War the government concluded that the region of Geel was 

economically undeveloped, with a great unemployment. Between the highway 

“Boudewijnsnelweg” Antwerp-Luik and the canal “Albertkanaal” an import zone of 

industry was created. The agriculture reconversion was directed to livestock-farming. 


It is famous for its large colony of mentally disabled persons, who live with private 

families rather than in institutions. 

The market square, facing the St-Amand church and bordered by attractive café 

terraces, is the focal point of the city. The oldest part of the city hall dates from the 

17th century. Not far away, the St-Dymphna church marks the place where the saint 

was buried. 

Geel is located along the river Nete, in the Campine region, which offers to its 

visitors a varied landscape of forests and dunes, and a natural reservation, de Zegge, 

owned by the Antwerp Zoo. 

Among the city's attractions one counts a field of orchids, a centenary linden tree, 

three wind mills, a military cemetery, and a handful a museums including a clock 

museum, a lamp museum, and an old bakery. The Saint-Alexis college is emblazoned 

with Art Nouveau sgraffiti by Gabriel van Dievoet. 


One of the largest reggae festivals in Europe, the Reggae Geel festival, takes place 

usually early in August just outside the city. 

SINT-DIMPNA AND GASTHUISMUSEU 


The museum is housed in the 15th-, 17th-, 18th-and 19th-century buildings of the Old 

Hospital van Geel and offers a vivid picture of everyday happen in the Hospital and 

the lives of Augustinian Hospital. 

The museum also houses art from churches and chapels Geelse: silver, sculptures and 

manuscripts. In addition, the memories of St. Dimpna survival. This Irish King, who 

died Geel was martyred, lies at the gronslag of the world famous “Geelse 

gezinsverpleging” (nurcery in the family) of the mentally ill. 

Opening hours of the Museum: 

Tuesday to Friday: 14.00 h until 17.30 h. 

Sunday: 14.00 h until 17.30 h. 


KATHOLIEKE HOGESCHOOL KEMPEN 

Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen is a University 

College with eleven departments and more than 6,200 

students. KH Kempen University College has always 

been an impulse for regional development in the 

Kempen, a dynamic region in Flanders, the Dutchspeaking 

part of Belgium. 

The university college in its present form was founded in 1995, when six institutes of 

higher education in the Kempen region merged. Each of those predecessors, however, 

boast a reputation going back more than half a century. 

In 2002 Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen formed an association with the Catholic 

University of Leuven, 11 other Hogescholen and the Catholic University of Brussels. 

Together, its partners have more than 70,000 students in 23 cities across Flanders. 

Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen participates in ERASMUS , as well as in Leonardo 

and Tempus projects involving both student and teacher mobility, pilot projects and 

curriculum development. There is also an active participation in development projects 

(via the KULeuven association) and in ERASMUS BELGICA, the exchange 

programme for the different language communities in Belgium. KHKempen 

University College co-finances all these projects. 


KHKempen University College maintains excellent connections with business and 

industry of the Kempen region and beyond, especially small and medium-sized 

enterprises. 

The eleven KHKempen departments are spread over the Kempen, the region in the 

North of Belgium, east of Antwerp. 

Six of those departments, with roughly 4,000 students, form campus Geel in the city 

of Geel. Three more KHKempen departments are located at campus Turnhout. The 

two other campuses are situated in Lier and Vorselaar. All four locations are small 

cities in a rural setting but with always something going on. Moreover, if you want to, 

you can easily go to Antwerp, Brussels, Leuven or any other place by public transport 

to get a taste of our historic places, recreational facilities and other places of interest. 

We welcome international Erasmus students in five English modules, in which 

international and Belgian students attend the lessons together. 

*For Business Studies: the International Business Module (spring semester) 

*For Social Work: Module of Social Work in an International Perspective (autumn 

semester) 

*For Teacher Education: “The international Class” or “Flanders’ Heritage: 

knowledge, culture and crafts” (spring semester). 

*For Health Care: Health Care in an international perspective (spring semester) 

*International Module Occupational Therapy

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