Belgium may be a small country, but it is full of interesting sights. UNESCO-recognized monuments in the capital alone range from the 4th century guild castles to the great architectural creations of the famous modernist Victor Orth of the early 20th century. In the city of Bruges are concentrated the main attractions of the country. It perfectly preserved medieval narrow streets crossing quiet canals. This city attracts crowds of tourists every year. But in many other cities, such as Ghent or Mechelen, beautiful medieval architectural creations have been preserved.
This little nation has always been at the forefront of events. It was here that the Battle of Waterloo took place, also important events of world wars took place here. Now the fields of past battles attract tourists and historians. Such a large-scale event took place on a tiny piece of land. Let's go to the main sights of Belgium to learn more about this country.
1
Grand Place, Brussels
Grand Place (in Dutch De Grote Markt) is a medieval square surrounded by buildings and town halls of the 4th-12th centuries. The main town hall stands out immediately - a true Gothic masterpiece. The entire Grand Place complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All year round at any time, the area is full of tourists and locals. In August, a significant and beautiful event takes place on it. Her center is filled with a floral carpet of dimensions 75 by 24 meters, consisting of more than 700,000 freshly cut begonias of different colors. To see the resulting drawing, it is best to observe from the upper tiers of the town hall.
And there is a very interesting article about the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world on most-beauty.ru.
2
Belfry and water channels, Bruges
The city of Bruges originates from the smooth banks of the River Rey. As the city grew, new waterways appeared, connecting with the mouth of the Tsvin River and the North Sea. Today they are a vivid reminder of the history of this city. Cruises and walks along these canals are very popular with tourists. You can simply find the walking route map from any web tourism site and go that route yourself. Or take a boat at one of the five berths and take a boat trip to these places.
The bell tower is considered a visiting card of Bruges. She stands in his main square. This is a magnificent building, built in the Middle Ages. The bell tower is perfectly preserved. Tourists can enjoy a real medieval look, as if a time machine works here. Nearly 400 steps of the bell tower raise tourists to its very top. The panorama from the top of the bell tower can be seen in many photographs.
3
On the battlefields of Flanders
Many travel to Belgium to learn more about the country's participation and significance during world conflicts. The fields around Ypres can tell a lot. This attracts travelers here. But these places are not only of historical value. Well-preserved kilometer trenches that extend around the city of Ypres. The fallen soldiers on both sides were buried in the same places. Huge cemeteries formed. Langemark cemetery belongs to the German soldiers, and Tyne the Cat to the British. Looking at these fields, you understand what cruel battles took place here.
4
Gravensten Castle and Old Town
This fortified fort once belonged to the great Flanders counts. The basis for it was castles in Syria. Nowadays, Gravensten is the best example of fortified fortresses with a moat in Europe. The strong walls of the castle rise above the banks of the Liv River, which flows through the city of Ghent. The spacious halls and rooms have many exhibits from the medieval era, but the main highlight of the castle is its architecture. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the few castles equipped with restrooms. A beautiful spiral staircase leads to the roof, from where you can admire the city. And then you can walk along the streets of the ancient city of Ghent.
5
Museums and townhouses of Victor Orth
Victor Horta was at the forefront of modernism in architecture. In the capital of Belgium, buildings that were built according to his designs have been preserved. Some of them are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. If you want to get to know his work more closely, then you should start with a museum that is dedicated to the architect and his work. The architect himself kept them together with the decoration, the original stained-glass windows and decorations. The fine details clearly show the love of nature. It is amazing how masterfully every detail has been done, from the most bulky to small ones. The house where he lived, the studio and four houses in the city demonstrate Art Nouveau in all its glory. Architecture lovers, and even ordinary people, will be very interested to know more about this man and his creations.
6
St. Bavon Cathedral, Ghent
The high Gothic hall of this cathedral and the crypt can impress anyone. It is considered the best building in Belgium, which is associated with religion. It is also one of the main attractions of Ghent. Although the building itself, together with the magnificent towers and stained glass, is already high art in itself, the cathedral is worth a visit to see the famous paintings. They adorn the interior of the cathedral. A very famous Flemish masterpiece called the Ghent Altar. After seeing the paintings, do not miss the chance to visit the huge crypt under the cathedral, in which there are ancient tombs of saints.
7
Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges
If your plans on a trip to Belgium do not visit many churches, but focus on one, then this should be the Basilica of the Holy Blood. It fascinates not only the combination of Roman and late Gothic architecture, but also the holy artifact stored in it. The chapel on the upper tier is the place where the sacred cup is kept. They say that it contains a drop of blood of the savior Jesus Christ. The vessel was delivered to Belgium after one of the Crusades. The interior of the church is amazing. Even if you are not interested in holy relics, you should visit this grand building.
8
Grand Place, Antwerp
Right in the center of Antwerp is another famous Grand Place. Around it is an ensemble of the brightest architectural creations of Belgium, including the guild house. Previously, they served as the main residences of a craft. Something like the current ministries. The town hall has been perfectly preserved since the VI century. The interior of the building contains many collectible paintings telling the history of the city of Antwerp. Guild houses that surround the square are the main reason for visiting tourists. According to most-beauty, the best are the Mednikov House and the Grocers House.
9
Maas Valley
The valley is located in the south of Belgium. This is the best place in the country where you can feel the rural life of the country. You can go rafting on the river and enjoy the heady landscapes. Dense forests along the way are replaced by pretty cities surrounded by cliffs. Two towns Dinan and Namur are at the foot of the valley. Here you can find a lot of entertainment in terms of eco-tourism. In the hike in the mountains you can see the ancient citadels and many other attractions, but the real value of these places is nature and landscape.
10
Mons Old Town
Mons is just amazing. Following the example of other cities, in its center is an area with many beautiful buildings. The period of their construction covers 400 years, from the XV to the XVIII centuries. Surprisingly, buildings built at different times have maintained symmetry and complement each other perfectly. Tyson Dor House and St. Georgia Chapel are major attractions. Moving away from the square inland, you can also see a lot of interesting things.
11
St. Peter's Church, Leuven
In the city of Leuven is one of the most revered church of St. Peter. It is not only of special spiritual value, but also of value as an architectural object in the bright Gothic style of the Belgian masters. Columns, arched windows, animal figures - everything was done expertly. Inside the church is also amazing. In a separate room there is a museum of religion. Here you can see the works of Flemish artists with illustrations of biblical subjects, as well as the famous creation of Bouts “The Last Supper”.
12
Old Town Mechelen
Maybe the old part of the city of Mechelen is not famous for such outstanding monuments as in the city of Bruges, but this is no less interesting place. Here you can see many buildings with sharp roofs, which are shown in cartoons or painted in fairy tale books. Famous buildings are collected in the main square, including the town hall, St. Rombouts Cathedral and Laken Hall. Walking along the narrow streets will also open up a lot of interesting things for connoisseurs of medieval history.
13
Waterloo
Well, we got to the place of Waterloo. As many people know from history, it was here that Napoleon was defeated in the famous battle. Today it is just a quiet rural area, but once a great battle raged here.
An artificial embankment rises above the surrounding plains. At its top is a lion monument. It was set to tribute to that battle and to the fallen soldiers here. No history books will tell about the event like visiting these places.
14
Valley of Semois
The valley of Semois well distracts from wandering around the historical sights of Belgian cities. The Samois River flows through forested hills, valleys and plains. Great place for hiking. For those who do not want to go on a tiring hike, they can explore the scenery on a pleasure boat.
The valley of Semois shows all the beauties of Belgian nature and delights tourists, especially in spring, when wildflowers bloom in the meadows.
Finally
In Belgium there are still a lot of amazing places. What is it worth visiting cities such as Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and many others. If you liked this article, write in the comments. And then we will write about the sights of each of these cities.