Its port, Zeebrugge, is an important center for fishing and European trade. In the city center’s Burg square, the 14th-century Stadhuis (City Hall) has an ornate carved ceiling. Nearby, Markt square features a 13th-century belfry with a 47-bell carillon and 83m tower with panoramic views.
The country has distinctive regions including Dutch-speaking Flanders to the north, French-speaking Wallonia to the south and a German-speaking community to the east. The bilingual capital, Brussels, has ornate guildhalls at Grand-Place and elegant art-nouveau buildings.
One of Belgium’s oldest cities and the historic capital of Flanders, Ghent was powerful, well-organized in its wealthy trade guilds, and virtually independent until 1584. Within its walls was signed the Pacification of Ghent (1576), an attempt to unite the Lowlands provinces against Spain. The Treaty of Ghent (December 24, 1814) marked the end of the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain.
Along with Brugge (Bruges) and Ypres, Ghent was one of the chief towns of the medieval county of Flanders. It owes its origin to the economic developments that occurred in Flanders in the 10th century, and the town sprang up on the banks of the Lys River at a spot under the protection of a nearby castle built by the counts of Flanders. Ghent grew rapidly in the 12th century, and by the 13th century it was one of the largest towns in northern Europe. Its astonishing prosperity was based on the manufacture of cloth; Ghent’s luxury cloths made from English wool were famous throughout Europe until the 15th century.
(Uploaded April 12, 2023) – Brussels, Flemish Brussel, French Bruxelles, city, capital of Belgium. It is located in the valley of the Senne (Flemish: Zenne) River, a small tributary of the Schelde (French: Escaut). Greater Brussels is the country’s largest urban agglomeration. It consists of 19 communes, or municipalities, each with a large measure of administrative autonomy. The largest commune—which, like the greater metropolitan area, is named Brussels—contains the historic core of the city and the so-called “European Quarter,” where the institutions of the European Union (EU) are located.
Greater Brussels officially became the Brussels-Capital Region in 1989, during the federalization of Belgium. Along with the much larger regions of Flanders and Wallonia, the Brussels-Capital Region constitutes one of the country’s three main political divisions. As the seat of the EU, Brussels is known as the “capital of Europe,” and its significance as a centre of international governance and business makes Brussels a true global city—a status shared with such metropolises as New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo.
Filmed and Edited by: César Hernandez
Halfway between sculpture and architecture, the Atomium was designed and built for the Brussels World’s Fair (1958), for which it was the flagship building and emblem. Representing an iron unit cell (9 iron atoms) magnified 165 billion times, the monument with its unique silhouette has, over time, grown to become the symbol of Brussels and Belgium.
0:15 What happened in the Credit Suisse takeover – The Swiss government has brokered an emergency takeover of Credit Suisse by rival bank UBS. Experts are calling it the ‘most dramatic moment in global banking’ since the 2008 crisis. The deal was worth $3.2 billion, that’s 6% less than what Credit Suisse was worth last Friday and wiped out $17 billion in additional tier 1(AT1) bonds. So what are AT1 bonds? AT1 bonds were created after the 2008 financial crisis when the banking industry became more regulated. They are a type of hybrid debt issued by banks. AT1 bonds can offer high returns. Watch to learn more about how the AT1 bonds were related to the Credit Suisse crisis.
1:48 The world’s lightest paint – It was inspired by butterflies’ wings. It’s so light that you could coat a Boeing 747 with just 1.5 kg of paint, rather than the 500 kg of paint typically used. Its inventors say it’s light enough to make cars and planes more energy-efficient. It absorbs less heat than standard paint and keeps underlying surfaces up to 16˚C cooler. So it could help us cut down on energy used for air conditioning
3:05 Belgium’s Artificial Energy Island – Belgium is building a new island in the North Sea to transform offshore wind energy. Princess Elisabeth Island will be 45km off the coast and will serve as a hub for the Princess Elisabeth Zone, a planned 3.5GW offshore wind farm. This artificial wind energy island will be 6 hectares in size, equivalent to around 12 football pitches. It will collect all the electricity generated by turbines, then send it to the mainland through undersea cables. The artificial wind energy island will also host interconnectors from the UK and Denmark, which will, in turn, connect to other North Sea wind farms. Construction is set to begin next year, and the island is due to be fully operational by 2030. Watch to learn more about Belgium’s artificial wind energy island.
4:11 Switzerland’s Solar Railway – Start-up Sun-Ways has collaborated with the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne for a pilot project testing the panels on a section of rail near Buttes in Western Switzerland. If rolled out to the country’s entire 5,000km rail network they could supply 2% of Switzerland’s electricity. Sun-Ways believes 50% of the world’s railways could be equipped with its system.
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December 2022 – Bruges is a magical Eurostar Christmas destination. Hop on a horse-drawn carriage for a tour of the cobbles, or linger in one of Europe’s most charming Christmas markets.
The Bruges Christmas market 2022 which runs from 25 November 2022 to 8 January 2023. The whole city turns into a fairytale destination, filled with Christmas trees and fairy lights and scents of buttery waffles and hot chocolate.
When planning a vacation to Europe, some of the first destinations that come to mind will be the teeming cities of Paris, London or Rome. Each of these metropolises is incredible, but they are far from all that Europe has to offer.
By exploring some of the smaller towns across the continent, it is possible to see a more authentic, traditional side to Europe. If you’re planning an upcoming getaway to the continent, here are just a few of the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
Leuven is a city east of Brussels, Belgium, known for its breweries. On a central square is the 15th-century town hall, with its tall spires. The building is decorated with hundreds of statues of local figures, biblical characters and saints. Opposite, the late Gothic St. Peter’s Church houses a “Last Supper” by the Flemish Primitive painter Dieric Bouts. Nearby, Oude Markt is a long square lined with bars and cafes.
Located in the French-speaking region of Belgium in the south (Wallonia), Dinant is a municipality in Namur that’s located on the River Meuse.
The River Meuse is a major European river that rises from France, flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands until it trickles into the North Sea.
Built in 1815, this fortress overlooks the city of Dinant and is part of the so-called ‘Meuse Citadels’ (with the two others located in Huy and Namur).
Boomers Daily 