Belgium is a federal state divided into three regions: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, francophone Wallonia in the south and Brussels, the bilingual capital, where French and Dutch share official status. There is also a small German-speaking minority of some 70 000 in the eastern part of the country.
Map of Belgium
Belgium’s landscape varies widely: 67 kilometres of seacoast and flat coastal plains along the North Sea, a central plateau and the rolling hills and forests of the Ardennes region in the southeast.
Brussels hosts several international organisations: most of the European institutions are located here as well as the NATO headquarters.
Independent since 1830, Belgium is a constitutional monarchy. The two houses of Parliament are the Chamber of Representatives, whose members are elected for a maximum period of four years, and the Senate or upper house, whose members are elected or co-opted. Given its political make-up, Belgium is generally run by coalition governments.
Belgium is famous for its chocolates, which are appreciated the world over. A favourite dish is mussels and chips (French fries) which, according to legend, are a Belgian invention. The country also produces over 1 000 brands of beer.
Belgian chocolate - seashells
The famous Belgian Chocolate : ” praline ” and ” ballotin “.
From the beginning of its history in Belgium, the chocolate was considered as a gift.
In 1912, the Belgian confectionery created the ” praline “, a filled chocolate mouthful which perfectly complied with its gift vocation. To protect the delicate nature of the ” praline “, an adequate packaging has been patented under the name of ” Ballotin “.
Since that time the ” ballotin de pralines ” became the perfect gift appreciated in all circumstances.
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
The European Parliament is the only directly-elected body of the European Union. The 785 Members of the European Parliament are there to represent you, the citizen. They are elected once every five years by voters right across the 27 Member States of the European Union on behalf of its 492 million citizens
Parliament plays an active role in drafting legislation which has an impact on the daily lives of its citizens: For example, on environmental protection, consumer rights, equal opportunities, transport, and the free movement of workers, capital, services and goods. Parliament also has joint power with the Council over the annual budget of the European Union.
Main room in European Parlament
Some Belgian Landmarks
pissing boy
Always sought out by tourists, who come to photograph this famous and iconic landmark, the Manneken Pis is a surprisingly small bronze statue of a boy urinating into a pool, originally cast almost 400 years ago. The statue is often rather humorous, since its wardrobe seems to change frequently and he is always dressed in a different outfit, of which he has more than 600, including a Santa suit for Christmas. At special times, bring a glass, as the Manneken Pis statue occasionally even sprinkles.
Atomium - Brussels
Atomium
The Atomium (located in Heysel) is one of the most distinguished landmarks of Brussels – the structure – a giant molecule was constructed in 1958 when Brussels held the world fair. It’s well worth a trip to see this interesting structure.
Quartier Royal
Once upon a time the Quartier Royal was the home of Belgian Royalty, though this is no longer the case (the Royal family are now situated in Laeken). Even so, the Quartier Royal are grand and handsome grounds with an eventful history – including being utterly destroyed by a fire in 1731 before being rebuilt by the 19th century.
Stretching over a mile long, Rue Royal runs from Quartier Royal to the pleasant Jardin Botanique and is a pleasant way of seeing some fine architecure. The Quartier Royal also houses the Palais Royal, Palais de la Nation and Palais des Academies. The Palais Royal remains the largest of the palaces set within Quartier Royal and boasts a fine throne room, long gallery displaying ceiling paintings and the hall of mirrors. It’s open to the public between July and September and is well worth the visit.
Royal Palace
Parc du Cinquantenaire
Beautiful, tree-lined Parc du Cinquantenaire was built as a tribute to the golden celebrations for Belgian independence in 1880. The famous Arc de Triomphe landmark was completed several years after the park was built.
The park houses the Musee de l’Armee which is a museum describing Belgiums military history and includes various artefacts stretching back to over two centuries. The gateway into the city is marked by the Central Archway. Interestingly, the park is also home to “Autoworld” which has hundreds of classic cars on display. Also worth a visit is Musee du Cinquantenaire which has international artefacts from civilisations dating back to the 15th century.
Parc du Cinquantenaire
The attractive Parc de Bruxelles has some elegant fountains and is lined with trees – the park was originally conceived in the 17th century. Aside from the many features of Parc du Cinquantenaire it’s also a very pleasant place to take a relaxing stroll – indeed it’s one of the most loved places by the locals who come in droves during weekends and public holidays.
Luke Meli Year 5A
