Cultural sightseeing in Belgium

Some people mistakenly believe Belgium is not an interesting country to visit. This unfortunate misconception is utterly untrue. In fact, Belgium as a country contains everything necessary for cultural recreation: historical and art museums will acquaint you with the history and art of Belgium, churches, and temples of various denominations will amaze you with their beauty, grandeur, and antiquity, and besides, there are many interesting historical sites on the Belgian land, some of which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This list includes, for example, the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp. It was erected in a space of 169 years, and in 1521 it was finally open to the parishioners. In this magnificent Gothic building are works of famous artists.

The collegiate church of St. Gertrude is located in Nivelles. It was built ten centuries ago and was first a nunnery. In the early forties of the last century, the church was damaged by Nazi bombs, and its reconstruction was completed only in the mid-eighties. St. Gertrude Nivelles, the patroness of travelers and the first prioress of the monastery, after whom the church was named, was buried within the walls of the church. Cathedrale Saints-Michel-et-Güdüle is located in Brussels. This is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, built in the 10th century. It hosts services, art exhibitions, and other cultural events. This Cathedral was built for almost three hundred years, and its main pride is the baroque altar.

The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges is famous not only for its wonderful stained glass windows but also for the legend that a flask with the blood of Jesus Christ is hidden in this building. Two ancient chapels are connected by a staircase, and the smaller one was built in the 12th century. A wonderful, fabulous town will be found by the guests of Bruges in the city center. Many buildings here have been preserved from the Middle Ages. This incredible place is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and it is so nice to just walk around and get mentally transferred a couple of centuries back. Quiet and calm, the center looks unusual, surrounded by a modern city. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In Brussels, be sure to visit the Belgian Comic Strip Center. It is located in the center of the capital and offers visitors the opportunity to get acquainted with the works of artists who create short comic strips. The museum will be interesting to children and adults, as it is possible not only to watch the adventures of comic book heroes but also to learn the history of their creation. The Museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Another interesting place in Brussels is the Musical Instruments Museum, created in the seventies of the 19th century. In its four-storey building, visitors will find modern and ancient musical instruments, learn the history of music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as well as get acquainted with musical instruments from different eras from around the world. The Museum is open every day from 9.30am to 5 pm, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays when it opens from 10 am to 5 pm, and Mondays when it is closed.

The Groeninge Museum in Bruges is renowned for its rich collection of Belgian art from different eras. Pictures of such giants as Jan van Eyck, the earlier works of Belgian artists, neoclassicism and 20th-century art are only part of the collection. In addition to the permanent exhibits, you can see other works within the framework of temporary exhibitions in the museum. The Museum is open every day except Mondays, from 10 am to 5 pm. The city of Antwerp is proud of the Diamond Museum, where every day there is a public demonstration of the polishing of diamonds. An extensive collection will introduce you to the characteristics of the jewel, their extraction, and processing phases. Also, there is a museum of photography (Fotomuseum) in Antwerp, showing the work of Belgian photographers of different years. The museum encourages young photographers in Belgium by displaying their work on its walls. It is better to visit this place without children, as some works can be quite explicit.

The Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art is located in the city of Ghent. Permanent collection and temporary exhibitions offer guests the opportunity to learn a lot about modern art, which is often provocative and controversial. They also get to see the different methods of expressing thoughts, which are used by artists. Those who prefer the classics should visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tournai, which was opened at the very beginning of the 20th century and contains works by Rubens, Monet, Van Gogh, and other famous artists. The building of the museum with its unusual shape brings to mind a turtle.

If you find yourself in Brussels, you are humbly obliged to visit the Grand Place in the City Center, which is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. The square has been in existence since the 13th century. Cultural events are held here, and finally, it is just a pleasure to walk around the square, admiring the buildings with baroque and gothic architecture. In Ypres, there is the Menin Gate, built as a monument to the Belgians who were killed not far from here during the First World War. The bodies of the warriors, which number about half a million, were never found. For the past 90 years, every evening at eight o’clock, the trumpet here sounds, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the dead.