Culture

Belgian samba dancer takes part in the famous Rio carnival for the first time

07 March 2019

Elise Batselé from Wavre has been fascinated by Latin America and Latin dancing since she was a little girl. Samba has been her firm favourite since she was 16.

Belgians among the winners at César Awards

04 March 2019

The César Awards, the French national film prizes, were presented on 22 February in Paris, with Belgium seeing good representation among the winners.

Belgian director Bas Devos selected for the Berlinale with ‘Hellhole’

22 February 2019

Belgian director Bas Devos had the honour of presenting his film ‘Hellhole’ at the Berlin International Film Festival last week.

A work by Rubens reappears in the Netherlands

18 February 2019

A work by Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) has been formally identified in The Hague.

The best of Belgian cinema at the Magritte Awards

18 February 2019

For the ninth year in a row, the Magritte Awards celebrated Belgian cinema by rewarding the best films, actors and directors of 2018. We take a look back at this very Belgian evening.

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 Pierre-Paul Rubens, Pierre Brueghel, 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 le Moussaillon), Willy Vandersteen (Bob et Bobette) and many more!

Today, many Belgian talents are making a name for themselves. This is particularly the case on the international music scene with Stromae, 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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