Travel to Belgium

Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's cultural life: the country has a comparatively high number of processions, cavalcades, parades, 'ommegangs' and 'ducasses',[G] 'kermesse' and other local festivals, nearly always with an originally religious or mythological background. The Carnival of Binche with its famous Gilles and the 'Processional Giants and Dragons' of Ath, Brussels, Dendermonde, Mechelen and Mons are recognized by UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Other examples are the Carnival of Aalst; the still very religious processions of the Holy Blood in Bruges, Virga Jesse Basilica in Hasselt and Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk in Mechelen; 15 August festival in Liège; and the Walloon festival in Namur. Originated in 1832 and revived in the 1960s, the Gentse Feesten have become a modern tradition. A major non-official holiday is the Saint Nicholas Day, a festivity for children and, in Liège, for students.

The Law Courts of Brussels is the world’s largest court of justice
With a construction area of some 26,000sqm, it is bigger than St Peter’s Basilica in Rome by 5,000sqm. On the topic of construction, the façade of Brussels’ Royal Palace is 50 percent longer than Buckingham Palace.

Belgium was the world’s second country to legalize same-sex marriage
Belgium introduced same-sex marriage in 2003, after the Netherlands. Euthanasia was also legalized in 2002.

The highest point in Belgium is lower than the world’s tallest building
The Signal de Botrange on the High Fens plateau in far-east Belgium is the highest point at 694m, shorter than the world’s tallest building in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa at 828m. Belgium along with the Netherlands and Luxembourg are historically known as the Low Countries.

Belgian men are the second tallest in the world
With a height of 181.7cm, only Dutchmen are taller at 182.5cm. The same can’t be said for Belgian women, however, who rank 21 at 165.5cm tall.

Cricket is thought to be a Belgian invention, not British
Academics believe immigrants from north Belgium could have imported the game to Britain, based on a poem thought to have been written in 1533 that calls Flemish weavers ‘king of crekettes’ and also mentions ‘wickettes’, predating English references dating to the 1600s.