Why belgium is famous

Over a million soldiers coming from more than 50 countries were wounded or died here. Today, Flanders Fields is known for actively remembering the first World War. The Last Post bugle call, a tribute to the British that lost their lives during the battle, is performed every evening at the Menin Gate in Ypres. Another thing Belgium is famous for is its comic books. In fact, Belgium has over comic writers, making it the country with the highest density of comic creators and illustrators in the world.

If this is something you like, you can visit comic book museums or go on a comic book walking route in Brussels. The capital is full of comic book murals and following the route that links these together is a fun way of exploring the city. Besides French fries, Belgium is also famous for its delicious waffles that come in different varieties. Liege waffles are thicker and contain tiny pieces of sugar.

Most people may know Manneken Pis , the statue of the little boy peeing. These two can also be found in the streets of Brussels. Well, according to one of the legends, a little boy once prevented the city from burning down by peeing on the fire and thus extinguishing it. The little boy was considered a hero, hence the statues that followed.

Surrealism is an art movement that started in Europe in the aftermath of WWI. The city of Antwerp is often referred to as the diamond capital of the world! Thanks to its strategic location, the diamond trade started in the Port of Antwerp during the 15th century. This is the battle in which Napoleon was defeated, which is the reason why it got so famous. Belgium is the birthplace of the so-called Flemish Primitives. This group of painters were the first to master the new medium of oil paint, and they had an incredible eye for detail.

They would forever change the history of art, and their work is still celebrated today. Belgium holds the record for having the longest period without a government in a developed country.

Back in , it took a whopping days to form a government. But then, in , Belgium broke its own record and spent days without a government! World politics aside, Belgian politics is also just as interesting and integral.

Because Brussels is its own region within Belgium, it is used as a middle ground between Wallonia and Flanders to ease tensions between the regions. Belgium also has the oldest compulsory voting system in the world. Men have been forced to vote since and women since If a Belgian citizen fails to vote four times in a row, they can lose their right to vote for ten years!

Belgium is known for its nickname: The Capital of Europe. There are over , expats living in Belgium today, and in the past many famous faces chose Belgium as a place of refuge during political or social turmoil.

Many choose Belgium because of its ideal location for traveling to other European countries. Some people had to choose Belgium out of necessity, however.

The city has immortalized their fictional famous folks by displaying them to the world. But where do you find them, and why are they there? Well, Belgium is famous for being the European kings of comics. The Belgian graphic arts scene sprung up as early as when Belgian George Remi began printing The Adventures of Tintin in a newspaper.

Because selling American graphic novels and comics was prohibited during World War II, homegrown satirical comics experienced a boom in sales in Belgium. The rest of Europe, and eventually the U. S and beyond, became enthralled by the adventures of Tintin.

You can see Luke on Rue de la Buanderie Belgium has two museum alternatives for comic book lovers to quench your thirst for graphic novel trivia! Did you know that The Adventures of Tintin has been translated into 70 languages and sold million books worldwide? The Comic Strip Center in the heart of Brussels is a museum dedicated solely to permanent and temporary displays of comics, ranging from European to Japanese Manga, and many more besides.

You can also learn more about Peyo, the creator of The Smurfs. As an aside, I had the delight of sampling Smurf-flavored ice cream last time I was in Belgium. It tasted like bubblegum. Try it! If only violence had been limited to comic books. The Flanders region of Belgium is famous for being the site of the Western Front, where many of the largest battles of World War I took place.

Three million soldiers fought at The Battle of The Somme in Belgium, and four months later when it ended, one million of them had lost their lives. There are many monuments, cemeteries and remembrance rituals that you can attend in Flanders today. Quirky Ghent is a mix of old and modern, with castles and cobblestones as well as impressive glass towers. Antwerp needs plenty of space to thrive, on this list as well as in real life.

If you prefer old-school architecture, check out Steen Castle. Hailing from the 11th century, the castle invites visitors to discover its gruesome history as a prison and join in the fairytale atmosphere against the backdrop of the Scheldt river.

Switzerland and Belgium have been fierce rivals when it comes to who is the real master chocolatier, but one thing is clear: the Belgians have an advantage. Even some Belgians thought that, and that might be why so many extraordinary museums have popped up all over the country. The Laundry Museum is in the town of Spa, where you can see how your great-grandmother might have washed her clothes.

Wallonia, the southern part of Belgium, is famous for its varied climate, industrial achievements in a bygone era, and many quirky things besides. During the Industrial Revolution, Wallonia was actually the second most industrialized area in the world thanks to coal and iron factories. This once prized claim has left scars in the modern day, however. Luckily, the locals have a sense of humor. It might be a medieval city, but like a fine wine it just gets better with age. This historic linguistic diversity is both a cause and a consequence of many cultural and political conflicts throughout the history of the country.

Remember when we just talked about things becoming interesting? Well, that usually happens right after an election, when it becomes impossible to form a government. In fact, Belgium has done it again, and apparently broke its own record, in ! This must be one of the most curious famous facts about a country that we have ever written here!

Waffles or Goffres are one of the most popular foods in Belgium. Waffles are a staple food in Belgium for centuries but they only became famous after the world fair, where they were a huge hit. They were named Belgian Waffles and the name stuck. Waffles are a dish made with leavened batter or dough cooked between two hot patterned plates that give it shape, size, and the typical checkered pattern. Either way, they are absolutely delicious! Belgian chocolate is one of the most famous products of Belgium and arguably one of the best chocolates in the world.

The combination of quality ingredients, rigorous quality control, and production method make Belgian chocolate famous worldwide. However, they are passionate about chocolate and have been producing it for almost years. Some of the most famous chocolate brands include:. Belgian fries or French fries? Belgian have made an art of frying potatoes. Everyone knows beer is popular in Belgium, but only after visiting the country is it possible to fully understand to what extent.

Anyway, we will try to explain. There are more than active breweries in Belgium, from international companies to traditional breweries, including the famous Trappist beers from Trappist monasteries.

Belgian beers have a huge array of varieties, from pale lagers to amber ales, lambic beers, sour ales, strong ales, Flemish red ales, and stouts!

One curious factor is that Belgian beer is usually drunk in bottles, instead of cans, and most of each brand has its own unique shaped glass.