PROJECT WORK
BELGIUM
2003
CONTENTS
• Introduction; • The aim of the Project Work; • The Project Work “Belgium”: • The main facts; • Geography; • Climate; • History; • Culture; • Holidays; • People; • Language; • Religion; • The capital; • The beer; • The comics; • Conclusions.
INTRODUCTION
It happens time after time. People understand Europe the way they’ve beenintroduced to it – The usual tourist meccas, the attractions on a thousandpostcards. Then they remember the little country, they passed through a fewdays ago. It seems beautiful, it’s practically next door to Paris, Londonand Amsterdam, and they have 24 hours to explore it before heading home.So, I’d like to introduce you – this is Belgium.
THE AIM OF THE PROJECT WORK
The aim of this Project Work was to know as much new facts about Belgium asit’s possible.
THE MAIN FACTS
[pic]Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,and red; the design was based on the flag of France.
Location: Europe
Status: UN Country
Capital City: Brussels (Bruxelles)
Main Cities: Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège
Population: 10,020,000 Area [sq.km]: 30,520
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cents
Languages: Flemish (Dutch), French, German
Religions: Roman Catholic
GeographyBelgium, a kingdom no bigger than Maryland, is Europe in a nutshell,multicultural and multilingual. Flanders in the north, a flatland criss-crossed by canals, is proud of its great art cities, Antwerp, Bruges andGhent. To the south in Wallonia, you will find the rolling hills of theArdennes, numerous castles, and the cities of Liege, Namur, and Tournai.Its capital city of Brussels is one of the world’s great cosmopolitancities, home to both the European Union and NATO, as well as a wealth ofinternational trade and finance companies.[pic]
Belgium is located at the Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, betweenFrance 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, and Netherlands 450 km.
Total area includes 1,385 km.ClimateThe climate near the sea is humid and mild. Farther inland, away from themoderating maritime influences, a marked increase in the range oftemperature occurs.
In the Ardennes region hot summers alternate with cold winters. Heavy rainsare confined almost exclusively to the highlands. Fog and drizzle arecommon, and April and November are particularly rainy months.
In Brussels, located at the center of the nation, the average temperaturesrange from -1° to 4° C (30° to 40° F) in January and 12° to 23° C (54° to73° F) in July. In Oostende, on the coast, the average range is 1° to 5° C(33° to 41° F) in January and 13° to 20° C (56° to 67° F) in July.
Rainfall in Brussels is uniformly spread throughout the year, with a yearlyaverage of about 860 mm (about 34 in); annual precipitation in Oostendeaverages about 600 mm (about 24 in).
HistoryBelgium’s neighbours France, Germany and England. Conquered by Germantribes, Christianised by the 7th century and carved up during the FrankishEmpire in 1100, much of Belgium enjoyed a golden age of prosperity andartistry under the French Duke of Burgundy during the 14th century.
With the demise of Bruges due to British competition and a silted river,Antwerp soon became the greatest port in Europe. The golden age began totarnish in the mid-15th century when the Low Countries (present-dayBelgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) were inherited by Spain, ignitinga long battle against Catholic Spanish rule. The fanatically CatholicPhilip II of Spain sent in the Inquisition to enforce Catholicism.Thousands were imprisoned or executed before full-scale war erupted in1568. The Revolt of the Netherlands lasted 80 years and in the end Hollandand its allied provinces booted out the Spaniards.
Belgium and Luxembourg stayed under Spanish rule. Napolean’s defeat at theBattle of Waterloo near Brussels led to the creation, in 1814, of the
United Kingdom of the Netherlands, melding Belgium and Luxembuorg into theNetherlands. But the Catholic Belgians revolted, winning independence in1830.Despite Belgium’s neutral policy, the Germans invaded in 1914. AnotherGerman attack in 1940 saw the entire country taken over within three weeks.King Leopold III’s questionably early capitulation to the Germans led tohis abdication in 1950 in favour of his son, King Baudouin, whose popularreign ended with his death in 1993. Childless, Baudouin was succeeded byhis brother, the present King Albert II.Postwar Belgium was characterised by an economic boom, later accentuated byBrussels’ appointment as the headquarters of the European Union (EU) andthe North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Belgium of today is home toa vast army of diplomats, and with them has come a rampant form ofinternationalism – followed closely by bland skyscrapers and intimidatoryrestaurants.While the country’s number one city is being busily groomed to suit therest of Europe, the Belgians themselves remain nonchalant – the true spiritof Belgium will always emanate from its people and its past.
Culture
Festival’s play an important part in Belgian life. One of the most famousfestivals is the three-day carnival at Binche, near Mons, held just beforeLent. During the carnival, noisemaking and dancing are led by “Gilles,” mendressed in high, plumed hats and bright costumes.
Another famous pageant is the Procession of the Holy Blood, held in Bruggein May. December 6 commemorates Saint Nicholas’s Day, an importantchildren’s holiday.
HOLIDAYS
|New Year’s Day |Jan. 1 ||Good Friday |Mar. 29 ||Easter Monday |Apr. 1 ||Labor Day |May 1 ||Ascension Day |May 9 ||Whit Monday |May 20 ||Independence Day |July 21 ||Assumption Day |Aug. 15 ||All Saints Day |Nov. 1 ||Veterans Day |Nov. 11 ||Christmas Day |Dec. 25 |
People
The people of Belgium are primarily of two ethnic groups, the Flemings(Teutonic origin) and the Walloons (Celtic origin, probably with an
admixture of Alpine elements). The most distinguishing characteristic ofthese two groups is language. The Flemings speak Dutch (often referred toby its historic regional name, Flemish; see Flemish Language), and theWalloons speak French.The predominantly Flemish provinces are in the northern half of Belgium,called Flanders (Flemish Region), and the predominantly Walloon provincesare in the southern half, called Wallonia. The capital of Brussels, anenclave within the Flanders region, is mixed. In 1993 these threeethnolinguistic areas became official federal regions.Language
In 1963 a law was passed establishing three official languages withinBelgium: Dutch was recognized as the official language in the north, Frenchin the south, and German along the eastern border.In the city and suburbs of Brussels, both French and Dutch are officiallyrecognized, although French speakers are the larger group. In the countryas a whole, strictly Dutch speakers make up about 58 percent, and Frenchspeakers about 32 percent of the population, while about 10 percent arebilingual or speak German or other languages. In 1971 a constitutionalchange was enacted giving political recognition to these three linguisticcommunities, providing cultural autonomy for them, and also revising theadministrative status of Brussels.
Religion
About three-quarters of the Belgian population is Roman Catholic, but thisnumber and regular church attendance are on the decline. Religious libertyis guaranteed, and part of the stipend for the ministers of all faiths ispaid by the government. Other religions practiced within the countryinclude a number of Protestant denominations, Judaism, and Islam.
THE CAPITAL
Brussels is a cosmopolitan city, with a liveliness and an appeal that areintimately related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe.Architectural styles range from Gothic cathedrals and churches to thegracious classical facades of the Palais des Nations, the Royal Palace andto the many art nouveau and art deco houses in the comfortable
neighborhoods where the Bruxellois live.The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city isthe Grand’Place.
This historic square, lined with exuberantly ornate guild houses andfocused on the Gothic heights of the Hotel de Ville, is widely held to beone of Europe’s finest.The Grand’Place is also, as it has been for centuries, the focal point ofthe city’s social and civic life. The people of Brussels gather here fortheir most important ceremonies and festivals, for the traditional birdmarket on Sunday mornings, and – perhaps most importantly – for no taskmore pressing than to sit, have a beer, and let the world pass.Every neighbourhood has its own market as Brussels is a city of markets:the bird market, the flower market, the antique market, the flea market,and the horse market. Vendors bring fresh produce from nearby fields,cheeses made in farms and abbeys; hams cured in the Ardennes, flowers andpotted plants, chickens, rabbits and fresh caught fish, shrimp and musselsfrom the North Sea.At the corner of the Rue de l’Etuve and the Rue du Chene, stands thefountain of Manneken-Pis. The statue has long been a beloved figure inBrussels, having come to be regarded as an honored citizen of the town.Kings, Presidents, and celebrities have given costumes to the Manneken-Pis.He now has a wardrobe of more than 250 outfits which are housed in theMusee Communal.To the east of the Grand’Place, the ground rises toward the upper townwhere the Royal Palace and the House of Parliament sit. In between thesetwo is a formal park with fountains in the French style. It is here thatthe Belgians fought the Dutch for their independence. Slightly to the south
is the Place du Grand Sablon, the center of exquisite antique galleries andsumptuous restaurants.Just to the north of the Grand Sablon is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts,which comprises the Museums of Ancient Art and Modern Art. Both possessenormous collections featuring many outstanding works. Among the rooms notto be missed is the collection of Flemish paintings from the 15th and 16thcenturies. All of the major artists are well represented including RobertCampin, Rogier van der Weyden, Hugo van der Goes, Dirk Bouts, Hans Memling,and particularly, Peter Breughel the Elder. There is an entire room devotedexclusively to Breughel’s work, including his Landscape with the “Fall ofIcarus.” The national sons, Peter Paul Rubens and his disciple, Anthony VanDyck have an impressive presence.There is no shortage of entertainment events in Brussels, and in keepingwith the city’s cosmopolitan outlook, these are widely varied. They rangefrom the annual Queen Elizabeth Music Competition, which draws aspiringclassical musicians from all over the world, to the annual Jazz Festival inBrussels which attracts legendary jazz stars to the city. The Theatre Royalde la Monnaie consistently offers first class opera and ballet. In thePalais des Beaux Arts, symphony and chamber music concerts are programmedyear-round. There are cinemas with American films in their originalversion, nightclubs and discos to satisfy even the most energetic. Don’tforget the folklore and pageantry integral to an understanding of Belgium,with the Ommegang Festival, the first Thursday in July or the Parade of theGiants in May.Mussels in Brussels are a must! They are prepared in a variety of ways andare a bargain in season. All Belgian food is of course delicious.Proportions are huge, so try to save room for dessert. Chocolates, wafflesand cookies are everywhere. And after all, you can always go on a diet inParis.Belgium has enjoyed an unparalleled reputation for its specialty beerssince the Middle Ages. Connoisseurs favor our beers for their variety, realflavor and character. Belgians are the greatest beer drinkers in Europe,exceeding even the English and the Germans.THE Beer
[pic]
Belgian beers come in a range of colors – from pale to black – and a rangeof types. The Lambic is yeasty, Gueuze is fruity, Kriek is sweet, andTrappiste is brewed by monks in monasteries throughout Belgium.
• Blanche: wheat beer – light and trendy, cloudy and smooth, a little on the sweet side. This thirst-quenching beer combines character and flavor with a lowish alcohol content.
• Gueuze: a blend of young and aged lambic beers. A complex beer, dosed with yeast to stimulate a secondary fermentation in the bottle.
• Trappiste: rich dark ales produced according to centuries-old methods by monks in five monasteries; Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren.
• Lambic: a beer naturally fermented by contamination of wort by airborne yeasts.
• Faro: a Lambic for the faint of heart. A sweetened variety with some of the flavor but little of the intensity of other Lambics.
• Kriek: a beer made with cherries, refreshing in summer.
• Brown Beers: brewed in Flanders, these beers are hearty and full- flavored.
• Red Beers: produced in West Flanders from red barley. These beers are aged in oak. They are fruity, sweet and sour, and are very thirst- quenching.
THE COMICS
THE MOST FAMOUS CHARACTERS FROM THE BELGIAN COMICS
[pic]
Marsupilami: one of the most cute and original character created byFranquin.
[pic]Tintin
[pic]The Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs)
[pic]Lucky Luke
[pic]Spirou
[pic]Gaston
[pic]Marsupilami
[pic]Natacha
[pic]Bakelandt
[pic]Sophie
The Belgian Comics
[pic]
The most famous Belgian comic: Tintin.
European Comics bloomed after WW II, especially in Belgium, France, Italyand England. As most of you certainly know Tintin, few only could pointBelgium as Tintin’s native land. However, the Belgian contribution to theComics’ universe was certainly not limited to the world famous reporter andto his small dog Snowy (Milou, in French- the original language of theTintin stories). The forties and the fifties saw the apparition of anincredibly rich and diversified production of comic books in Belgium.BRUSSELS’S MUSEUM FOR COMICS AND CARTOONS
CBBD – Centre Belge de la Bande Dessin, is its official name.
This museum, unique in the world, is installed in the very heart ofBrussels in a historical architectural building designed by Horta forindustrial use. It was converted to an exhibition center for the “comicstrips” (bande dessin as they are called in French, BD in short andcolloquial).
Their incredible collections of albums, magazines and books, as well asoriginal works from authors (drawings and writings) are all dedicated tothe Comics.
THE SMURFS
[pic]The Smurfs… cute individualistic little blue men
SCHTROUMPF… WHAT?
Why Schtroumpf? Why this strange original name (in the French text)?
Simply because in search of a name for the cute little dwarfs he just drew,Peyo (real name: Pierre Culliford), wanted to find a name with derision.Finally it was something approaching the German word for socks: Strumpf.
As the word was difficult to read for non-Germans, and due to the ratherdumb signification, deterioration gave the famous Schtroumpf!! (Pronounce:Ch-Trough-mm-ppff)
THE SMURF ERA
In fact these strange little blue men were at first a secondary set ofcharacters for another series from Peyo: Johan and Pirlouit. This serieswas a kind of medieval farce with a cohort of interesting characters.Amongst them: Pirlouit, small page accomplice of Johan, always ready for a
good laugh when not temperamental. The Johan and Pirlouit series was rathersuccessful when suddenly in 1958 in one of the stories: La flute six Trous-little blue dwarfs were everywhere. The Schtroumpf era had began.CONCLUSIONS
Belgium is a country of Western Europe. It is quite a big country, which isfamous for its architecture, for its beer and funny comics. Belgium is acountry I have visited once, but it’s not enough! I will visit it again andagain!