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Atlanticwall w Belgii

27/10/2019

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Muzeum Raversyde

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​Wał Atlantycki to system umocnień zbudowany przez Niemców podczas II Wojny Światowej, na okupowanych terenach. Rozciągał się na obszarze 3862 kilometrów, od granicy francusko-hiszpańskiej aż po północne krańce Norwegii. Najsilniej ufortyfikowana część wału atlantyckiego znajdowała się w rejonie Calais, znacznie słabsze umocnienia wybudowano w Normandii.
​Wzdłuż belgijskiego wybrzeża Niemcy stworzyli umocnienia w celu ochrony portów Zeebruge i Ostenda (baz operacyjnych niemieckich okrętów podwodnych). Właśnie ufortyfikowania w Ostendzie stanowią jedną z najlepiej zachowanych części Wału Atlantyckiego. Współcześnie w miejscu tym mieści się muzeum Raversyde, będące jedną z głównych atrakcji historycznych na belgijskim wybrzeżu. Muzeum składa się z dwóch części. Pierwsza tematycznie jest związana z I Wojną Światową, druga część dotyczy II Wojny Światowej. 

Muzeum Raversyde miejsce gdzie spotyka się historia z naturą

Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Na otwartej przestrzeni znajduje się ponad 60 bunkrów, stanowisk obserwacyjnych i artyleryjskich, połączonych dwoma kilometrami otwartych lub podziemnych korytarzy. Muzeum Raversyde posiada jedyną zachowaną niemiecką baterię przybrzeżną z I Wojny Światowej, baterię Aachen. Składała się ona z dział, bunkrów obserwacyjnych i pomieszczeń mieszkalnych dla żołnierzy.
Podczas trwającego około trzech godzin zwiedzania możemy podziwiać nie tylko wspaniale odrestaurowane militarne eksponaty, ale także piękne widoki na plaże Ostendy. Jak głosi hasło muzeum Raversyde jest to miejsce, gdzie historia i natura spotykają się. To, że ta część wału atlantyckiego, wraz z wyposażeniem przetrwała w tak dobrym stanie, jest  zasługą księcia Karola, który po śmierci swojego ojca, króla Belgii Alberta I otoczył to  miejsce opieką, nie pozwalając na niszczenie tego terenu, będącego wspaniałym świadkiem historii I i I Wojny Światowej.  
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Widok z muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
Muzeum Raversyde w Ostendzie. Belgia.
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Ostend

26/10/2019

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Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend.

The summer festival takes art to the beaches of Ostend, where sculptures are created by 40 artists from around the world. The material to be processed is sand and a spatula is a chisel. In 2019 year the theme were dreams. The sculptures were from 2 to 6 meters high. The sand for the sculptures was brought on 240 trucks. In the year 2017 on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the existence of Disneyland in Paris, the sculptures depicted figures of iconic Disney fairy tales.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
Festival of sand sculptures in Ostend. Belgium.
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Art-Deco in religious architecture

28/9/2019

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The fifth largest temple in the world


National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels

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Her story begins in 1880 a year. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Belgium's independence, King Leopold II decides to make the Koekelberg Plateau a royal district. 
Initially, inspired by the Sorbonne district in Paris, he wanted to build a National Pantheon here, but when the project received little support, the monarch proposed to build a national sanctuary.  
The cornerstone for the construction of a new, monumental temple was laid by the king in 1905 on the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of Belgium's independence. The construction of foundations began according to Pierre Langerock's project prepared in 1903, which envisaged a huge building in the neo-Gothic style.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
World War I exhausted the funds of the kingdom, and the architectural taste changed. The resignation from the Langerock project forced the search for an architect who will design the temples again. Finally, an art-deco design was made by Albert Van Huffel, an architect from Ghent. In 1919, Cardinal Mercier dedicated the church to the victims of war. In 1930, the construction of the apse began, which was opened for worship in 1935. It is also the date of death of Albert Van huffel, who was replaced by engineer Paul Rome. After the outbreak of World War II, work was suspended again until September 1944. 
The temple was consecrated in 1951 by Cardinal Van Roey. In 1952 year, Pope Pius XII granted the new church the title of Minor Basilica. 11 November 1970 a great celebration crowns the end of the basilica's construction.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels is the fifth largest church in the world and the largest in the art-deco style. The building is made of reinforced concrete covered with brick, terracotta, and various types of marble, parquet and blue stone. In both towers there are five bells: Ulrich, Gabrielle, Isidorus-Maria, Joseph, and the great bell of peace Balduinus. The impressive dimensions of this monumental temple are as follows:
Central nave - 164 meters
Transept- 107 meters
The galleries are located at an altitude of 10 meters
The top of the vault is 29 meters
The top of the dome is 90 meters
Outdoor gallery - 50 meters

Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
Bazylika Najświętszego Serca w Brukseli. Belgia.
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Spa-Francorchamps-f1

18/9/2019

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Image

Track length:
7.004 km
Stand capacity:
70.000 viewers
Participating in the festival, which is undoubtedly the F1 race at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium is an amazing experience. This is one of the few tracks where F1 races have been taking place for decades. In 1939 a spectacular steep curve was built, which is a showcase of the Spa track. The difference in altitude here is as much as 17%. This place was christened the name Raidillon, but in the minds of the fans the name Eau Rouge was adopted. After this change, Spa Francorchamps became the fastest racing track in Europe next to Monza. Many competitors consider this track to be one of the most demanding in the entire F1 calendar.  
Most wins: Michael Schumacher 6
During the weekend various races take place on the track. Here we have the Porsche Supercup series, Formula 2, and Formula 3. On Sunday, an hour before the race on the track, or rather thirty meters above the track, Franky Zapata appeared, who flew 7 kilometers on the Flyboard Air. He paid tribute to Antoine Hubert, a Formula 2 driver who had died tragically the day before at the Spa-Francorchamps race. Before the F1 race there was a minute of silence on the track in memory of this 22 year old driver. 

Spa-Francorchamps founded: 1920 
A lot of Polish fans appeared in the stands, who came to cheer Robert Kubica, our only driver in F1. His eight-year struggle to return to the top, after a terrible accident, is proof that nothing is impossible. It's enough to have extraordinary determination, will to fight and faith that it can succeed. Only so much and so much. This is Robert Kubica, for many not only an extraordinary talent, but also an example of how you can fight for dreams. At Spa-Francorchamps I fulfilled my dream, I saw Robert Kubica, the universal driver, the most outstanding Polish representative in motorsport. 
Lap record:
Valtteri Bottas 1:46. 286
Race Distance:
308.052 KM

Of course, Dutch supporters dominated the stands. Dressed in characteristic orange t-shirts, they cheered on their idol, the wonderful Max Verstappen. For them it's almost a home race. The ticket prices show that it is an expensive sport. The cheapest ticket costs 140 euros. After adding the parking price, buying a commemorative pendant, fries and a drink, 200 euro was made. It's for tickets without seating, on a grassy embankment. The price of seated tickets is an expense of several hundred euros. Despite these costs, it's really worth going to Spa-Francorchamps for the F1 weekend. After all, it is the queen of motorsport. 


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War Memorial on Cointe

28/7/2019

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Cointe Hill 
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The International Veteran Congress of the First World War, which took place in Rome in the year 1925, chose Liege as the place where a monumental monument commemorating the cooperation of Allied soldiers and the suffering of peoples during the war 1914-1918 was to be created. 

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The monument designed by Joseph Smolderen from Antwerp stand on the Cointe hill, in a place visible from every Liege point. This monument consists of a religious part, or Church of the Sacred Heart, whose construction began on 21 June 1925 year, and the civilian part, or 75-meter tower, which began to appear in September 1928 year. The inauguration of the opening took place on 21 July 1937 year. 
In the crypt there are monuments of Belgian, French, Romanian and Spanish soldiers, while on the square surrounded by pillars there are Italian, Greek, Polish, English and Russian monuments. Every August 15, on the the Polish Army Day, Polonia fold the flowers at the Polish monument at Cointe Hill. 
For decades, this magnificent monument, exposed to heroes, has grown into the Liege skyline, became one of symbols city. However, the passage of time has strained the structures of both buildings. The civil monument was renovated, there was money for it. The church has been closed for years. There are no funds for renovation. There is a danger that this magnificent monument will share the fate of churches that were demolished or desacralized in Liege. Church of St. Antoni, who ceased to be a place of worship in the 1977 year, today serves as a place of vernissages, the church of St. Cross closed for years (apparently, funds have already been accumulated about 20 million dollars for renovation), the church of St. John the Evangelist, closed due to the threat of collapse. Hundreds of years of history that is not remembered. 
Church of St. Antoni, Liege.
Church of St. Cross, Liege.
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Liege.
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Liege.
Recently, information appeared that the temple will be sold. Among the main buyers are the Dutch millionaire Arthur Paes. Admiring how he restored the Le Fy castle in Esneux, one can hope that the magnificent church on Cointe will also be renovated. However, it will no longer serve as a place of worship, but as a socio-economic or economic-cultural object.  
Le Fy castle in Esneux.
Le Fy castle in Esneux.
Le Fy castle in Esneux.
Le Fy castle in Esneux.
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Seaside tram

29/6/2019

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The longest tram line in the world
67 kilometers long - 68 stops
143 minutes of travel- 3 millions of travelers
The tram route runs through the entire Belgian coast. It makes it the longest tram line in the world. Along with the stops located further from the beaches, deep into the towns, its length is 67 kilometers. It connects all coastal towns, reaching from Knokke-Heist, located at the Dutch border, up to De Panne, the furthest-fledged Belgian resort next to the French border. The entire route counting 68 stops is covered in 143 minutes. Trams leave from stops every 15 minutes. 
The building in De Hann, where the tram stops, was designed in the 1902 year, in style belle époque, by Brussels architect D. Dhaeyer.  
Every day, from the route along the beaches, a special tram removes sand deposited by the wind. The tram line has been in existence for more than 130 years. Her first episode was created in 1885 a year and connected Ostend and Nieuwpoort. The first route was shifted inland; some sections of this original connection still exist today. Annually, a tram line along the Belgian coast carries around 3 million passengers. Its creation has greatly contributed to the development of thirteen resorts in ten towns located on the Belgian coast: 
Knokke Heist-Zeebrugge-Blankerberge-De Hann-Bredene-Oostende-Middelkerke-Nieuwpoort-Koksijde-De Panne
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Father Damian

29/5/2019

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Brother of lepers, missionary who devoted his life to serving the needy
Picture
Father Damien, or rather Jozef de Veuster, is an extraordinary man whose life's work was helping the lepers. He was born on 3 January 1840 year in the Belgian town Tremelo as one of seven siblings. Like his older brother and sister, he joined the convent. He chose the most difficult path to holiness. A path full of sacrifices and risks. The desire to serve the needy led him to the kingdom of Hawaii, and more precisely to the island of Moloka'i, which was a home-place of seclusion- for patients infected with leprosy, then an incurable disease. 
He started his mission on 10 may 1873 year coming to the Kalaupapa settlement, inhabited by 600 lepers. Building new homes, schools, churches, and hospitals gave the inhabitants hope. He became their confidant and priest, sometimes a nurse, doctor or gravedigger. His mission, which lasted in 1873-1889, ended his death. In recent years he has been helping, although he was already infected. He died on 15 April 1889 year among friends, calm about the fact that his work would be continued by the Franciscan nuns who came to the island.   
His work echoed widely in the world. The sacrifice with which he served the sick was something special. On 4 June 1995 year, father Damian was beatified by the Holy Father John Paul II. 11 October a guide 2009 Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed him a Saint. Grave brother of lepers, how often Damian's father was called, he is in the crypt, under the chapel of St. Antoni, in the Belgian city of Leuven.
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Citadel in Namur

18/5/2019

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 Citadel
in Namur
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is a great example of mastery of military architecture. This one of the greatest citadel in Europe has a diversity that evokes the era from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.  

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Terra Nova
The first fortifications were built here by the Celts, the next by the Romans. In the 937 year, the Namur Count replaced the Roman ruins with wooden fortifications. The stone castle was built in 1235-1245, then, in the fourteenth century, it was expanded.

Citadel received the present form in 1631-1675 during the reign of the Dutch. This part of the fortress has been named Terra Nova to distinguish it from the smaller fort built in the neighborhood La Médiane, which was built in 1542-1555 during the reign of Emperor Charles V.
In the 1692 year, the citadel was taken by the French. It was then that Sebastian Vauban, a French military engineer and architect at the court of the French King Louis XIV, rebuilt the citadel in Namur, making it one of the most powerful fortresses in Europe. The twilight of the citadel's power came during the First World War, when it took a few days for the Germans to get it. During the Second World War, the fortress was seriously damaged as a result of bombing. A parachute unit was stationed here until the 1977 year.  

The citadel built on the 10 hectares has been recognized as the unique heritage of Wallonia. This magnificent building dominates the Port du Grognon, the place where the rivers Meuse and Sambra meet, and where there is a statue of King Albert I on a horse. This king, valued by the Belgians, died while climbing the rock of the Grand Bon Dieu, near Marches-les-Dames on the Meuse River.

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Shrine in Banneux

15/3/2019

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Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Poor
In Banneux
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The shrine in the small Banneux, located about 20 kilometers from Liege, is one of the main places of worship in Belgium. It was here that Our Lady appeared to eleven-year-old Mariette Beco eight times. Revelations lasted from 15 January to 2 March 1933 year.
During the apparitions, Our Lady always presented herself as the Mother of the Poor and asked her to build a chapel in this place. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Poor is a place of pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands of people who come here to confide in the Mother of God with their suffering, pain and desires.

On the walls of the chapel and in several places in the sanctuary there are tables, on which the faithful express, in many languages, thanks to Our Lady for intercession and healing. In the 1949 year, the Vatican recognized the revelations at Banneux. John Paul II ended here his pilgrimage in the Benelux countries, which he held in 1985 year.
In the Banneux Sanctuary there are: the Chapel of the Apparitions, the Chapel of the Mission, the Church of the Virgin of Poor, the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, the Way of the Cross, the belfry of Konrad Adenauer and, in the place of the apparitions of the Holy Mother, a wonderful spring. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Poor is surrounded by a beautiful landscape park. 
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Contemporary Architecture In Liege

24/2/2019

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Paradis Tower
Mostly, historic, beautiful buildings are replaced by modern, ugly concrete constructions. There are glorious exceptions as in the case of the building being the seat of the Ministry of Finance. His victim was a beautiful, over a hundred-year old  tenement house that had to give way to the skyscraper that is today, together with the Guillemans station, a great example of modern architecture.wojnie architektonicznej
95 million Euro construction cost
118 height meters
27 floors
These two buildings are an example that contemporary architecture, thanks to its beauty, can add glamor to the city. The Guillemans station is already considered the most beautiful, next to the station in Antwerp, in Belgium, maybe this skyscraper will also be awe-inspiring. May it be possible to build such great structures in the future, but without destructionofiarhistorical buildings.
Interestingly, the building is not owned by the Ministry of Finance. It only rents offices from a private investor (Fedimmo Company) for a period of 25 years. After this time, the Ministry will have the right of first refusal. The whole project is the work of the Jasper & Eyers Architecture architectural office in cooperation with Greisch. Paradis Tower is the tallest building in all of Wallonia. 

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River port in Liege

17/2/2019

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Inland navigation, river port in Liege
Picture
Photo http://www.portdeliege.be
Situated 230 kilometers from the North Sea coast, Liege is the largest inland port in Belgium and the third largest in Europe (21 million tons in 2017 year) after Paris and Duisburg. This port, created in the 1937 year, provides a logistics base for the largest seaports of Europe.  
Port Liege is not a compact object. It covers an area of 370 hectares, and it comprises 32 port areas scattered along the river Meuse and Albert Canal. Its main advantage is the excellent location in the center of the world's largest navigable network: the Rhine-Schelde-Meuse basin (20 000 km). Thanks to this, it offers easy access to the main ports of Europe:

Port of Antwerp (129 km) through the Albert Canal (immersion 3,40 m) - travel time 14 h.
Port of Roterdam (250 km) through the Julian Canal (immersion 2,80 m) and Meuse - travel time 24 h.
Dunkirk port through the east-west corridor - travel time 48 h.

The recent opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube route enabled vessels to travel through the West European network, making it easier for ship owners to access Eastern Europe.  

An additional advantage of the Port of Liege is the proximity of the widely developed road and rail network as well as the eighth largest freight airport in Europe. Port Liege is ideal for loading, unloading and storing a wide range of goods: building materials, ores, bulk goods, chemicals, steel, and recently, thanks to the development of three-modal logistics, also containers.


Annually, the Liege port reloads 60 thousands of containers. Current investments are aimed at achieving the level of 200 thous. containers. One barge transports 106 or 156 containers. The success of river transport contributes to reducing the number of vans on the roads. 16 million tons of goods transported on the barges corresponds to the tonnage transported by 800 thous. vans.