Culture

Belgicism…He lives in Houtsiplou

24 August 2021

Houtsiplou, like its synonym Macapète, refers to an imaginary, remote place, in the middle of nowhere, far away from all civilisation, populated by uncultured and illiterate residents.

Just bite your tongue, it'll be over in five minutes.

18 August 2021

The French noun "chique" (quid of tobacco) is the source of many local expressions. In a literal sense, the word means a piece of chewing tobacco, or a sweet, a kind of candy.

Great success for the 2021 Meyboom plantation

16 August 2021

The 713th Meyboom plantation took place on the eve of St. Lawrence's Day (9 August) in accordance with tradition.

The Hoge Kempen landscapes appear on the Unesco World Heritage List

29 July 2021

On the border between Belgium and the Netherlands lies a peaceful haven surrounded by nature that extends over 403 hectares.

The strange vision of Mr Magritte

28 July 2021

Nadine Monfils, a Belgian writer and film director, has embarked on a cosy mystery, a detective genre in which a murder is used as a pretext for the investigation of a male, or more often female, amat

A country of legends and thrills

The constant contact with other peoples and cultures hasn't been without its effects in terms of art and culture, both in the past and the present day. A true crossroads of the major influences of art, Belgium has always been home to a large number of artists and frequently establishes itself as the place for innovation for new movements.

Belgium has preserved much evidence of the greatest architectural and artistic movements. The Middle Ages saw cathedrals and belfries spring up, monuments that still grace the Belgian cities of art. Countless châteaux pepper the countryside and Belgium is the country with the most châteaux per km². As for Brussels, in the 20th century, it became the capital of Art Nouveau. All this explains the country's incredible architectural wealth.

The splendid works of the old Flemish painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Bruegel, Jan Van Eyck, Antoine Van Dyck, along with more recent artists like Paul Delvaux or René Magritte, are now exhibited in museums all over the world.

The ultimate hub for comics, Belgium is home to the largest concentration of comic book authors in the world. They continue the tradition of Hergé (Tintin), Peyo (Les Schtroumpfs), Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake et Mortimer), Morris (Lucky Luke), Bob De Moor (Barelli, Cori de scheepsjongen), Willy Vandersteen (Suske en Wiske) and many more!

Today, many Belgian talents are making a name for themselves. This is particularly the case on the international music scene with Angèle, Milow, Selah Sue and Hooverphonic. On the big screen, a new generation of directors and actors are frequently recognised with awards including the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Oscars in Hollywood.

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