Culture

WWI commemoration attracts large numbers of tourists

12 January 2015

In 2014, the province of West Flanders welcomed nearly 800,000 tourists who came to commemorate the First World War, nearly double the number that came in 2013.

Bollywood in Bruges

19 December 2014

'PK' (‘Peekay’), the first Bollywood production filmed in Belgium, has its première today in Belgian cinemas. The whole of the first quarter of this romantic comedy is set in Bruges.

Belgian wins first prize in Metro Photo Challenge

11 December 2014

The Belgian photographer Bernard Caelen, alias Irving S.T. Garp, wins the Metro Photo Challenge 2014 in the category ‘My Green City’.

Unesco recognition for the Belgian carillon culture

25 November 2014

At the end of November 2014 Unesco recognised the Belgian carillon culture as a 'best practice in protecting immaterial cultural heritage'.

Stefan Hertmans wins the prestigious 2014 AKO Prize for Literature

13 November 2014

With his book ‘Oorlog en terpentijn’ (War and turpentine) the Belgian author Stefan Hertmans won the prestigious AKO Prize for Literature 2014.

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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