Belgium - The Capital Of Europe

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Front Cover : European Parliament, Brussel, Belgium Above : Train lines , Antwerp Central, Belgium

EDITOR’S NOtE EXPLORE. To explore is to get out of the comfort zone, to venture to new terrain, to try new things, to explore the places that excite you and frighten you a little. Through this journey, I’ll take you explore Brussel, Belgium. Or as known as the ’capital’ of Europe.

My goal is to provide you information regarding the ‘capital’ through history, culture and anything relevant.

I sincerely trust that you will have as much pleasure reading this one-time edition magazine as I enjoyed compiling this for you, my dear readers. Happy Reading!

Brussel Town Hall, Brussel, Belgium th 15 century Gothic town hall

i n t r o d u c t i o n Brussels, capital of the kingdom of Belgium is also the ‘capital’ of Europe. Like Europe in miniature, is one way to think of it. A very cosmopolitan city, Brussels welcomes people from all over the continent. The contrasting districts of the city provide for different experiences for the visitor and those who live here. It is worth exploring the different architecture and the ambience of these magnificient places.

Belgium may be small but it’s packed full of sights. UNESCOacclaimed sites in the capital city of Brussels range from 14th-century guildhalls surrounding the elegant Grand Place to the early 20thcentury Art Nouveau townhouses of Victor Horta. Belgium is located in Western Europe surrounded by Netherlands up north, Germany and Luxembourg on the eastern border and France along the South and West border. Brussels, Belgium is viewed as the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of facilitating the establishments of the European Union inside its European Quarter.

Grand Place, Brussel, Belgium

Brussel Town Hall, Brussel, Belgium th 15 century Gothic town hall

History is now extremely important for the establishment of a permanent culture. It provides an understanding of past struggles that can influence the path we are taking in future.

It teaches us about the hidden structures that permeate society, and emphasizes how they function.

It is believed that Belgium derives its name from the Belgae tribes which lived in the northern part of what was then Gaul around the third century BC. According to linguistic experts, the name has its roots from the proto-celtic words ‘belg’ and ‘bolg,’ which mean to swell with anger.

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Journey through history

A small town in Belgium

A vehicle entrance to a vintage barn near a village in Belgium

The victorious powers of Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia met in Vienna in 1815, after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, to redistribute influence and negotiate the jurisdiction of territories for years to come. One of the most important decisions was the creation of the United Kingdom of Netherlands.

The main idea was to create a state against any future French intervention which would serve as a buffer territory. The creation of a Belgian state was suggested during the Vienna Congress, but this option didn’t get enough support. Instead it was decided that territories which were once part of France should now be attached to the United Kingdom of Netherlands.

This was not really the best decision as it caused problems which would create a period of unrest and what would eventually lead to the Belgian Revolution 15 years later. The United Kingdom of Netherlands was hugely divided due to the fact that people in the north were mainly Protestant, while individuals in the south were Catholic.

The Dutch king Willem I favored the Protestants and thus he became unpopular in the south.

Moreover, the people in the south of the Kingdom were believed to be less represented. Willem even tried to make Dutch the universal language, but in turn he faced a serious opposition from the Frenchspeaking communities. The order which was established by the Dutch dominance was clearly unacceptable for the southern communities and this led to the beginning of the Belgian revolution.

Customers enjoying their brunch at a cafe next to an alley during the day in Brussels, Belgium

On 20 December 1830 the great powers of the Congress of Vienna assembled once again in London. This time they had no choice but to acknowledge the Belgian revolution’s success and guarantee its independence. The powers insisted, however, that the future king should come from the Saxe-Coburg dynasty in order to avoid any French interests in the future Belgian regions.

Church of St. James, Brussels

Equestrian statue of Godfrey of Bouillon, the leader of the first crusade in 1096 replacing the statue of Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine that had been melted down for the metal during the French Revolution.

Saxe-Coburg's Leopold I was invited to become Belgium's first king and his inauguration took place on July 21, 1831. The date of his inauguration has become Belgium's national day. Since then, the Dutch and French-speaking communities have their own country and king, and the year 1831 has been marked as the real beginning for modern Belgium.

Preservation

A one-way road in Brussels exhibiting preservation of old buildings

The city Brussel hosted various exhibitions and conferences during the 20th century, including the Solvay Conference on Physics and Chemistry, and three world fairs which are the Brussels International Exhibition in 1910, the Brussels International Exhibition in 1935 and Expo ‘58. Brussels was an occupied city by the German troops during World War I but not much damage was caused.

It was again occupied by German forces during World War II and spared major damage before it was liberated on September 3, 1944, by the British Guards Armoured Division.

Station BrusselSchuman

Main public transportion in Belgium and across Europe

Brussels underwent extensive modernisation after the war.

The construction of the North–South connection, linking the main railway stations in the city, was completed in 1952, while the first premetro was finished in 1969, and the first line of the metro was opened in 1976.

In the early 1960s, Brussels became the de facto capital of what would become the European Union, and the construction of many modern offices. Development was allowed to proceed with little regard for the esthetics of newer buildings, and numerous architectural landmarks were demolished to make way for new buildings that often clashed with their surroundings and gave the Brusselisation process its name.

Chaussee deEtterbeek Building and Lex Building A high rise apartments and a goverment offices resprectively

DON’T

give up, g r e at t h i n g s

take

time.

l e b e r l ay m o n t brussel, belgium

The Berlaymont is an office building that houses the headquarters of the European Commission which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU), in Brussels, Belgium. The structure is located at the roundabout of Schuman at Wetstraat 200 Rue de la Loi, in what is known as “the European Quarter�.

A perspective view of Le Berlaymont

Since its construction, the building has housed the European Commission, and has become a symbol of the Commission and the European presence in Brussels. The Commission itself is spread over some 60-odd buildings, but the Berlaymont is the headquarters of the Commission, which is the seat of the President of the European Commission and its College of Commissioners.

The President’s office and the Commission’s boardroom are on the 13th floor along with the Hebdo’s meeting room and La Convivialité restaurant.

The building was designed by Lucien De Vestel in conjunction with Jean Gilson, André and Jean Polak and with the recommendations of the engineer Joris Schmidt under the provisional name “Center Administratif Europe”.

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A view of Le Berlaymont’s atrium Close-up of Le Berlaymont’s facade

It was directly inspired by the 1958 UNESCO secretariat building in Paris designed by Marcel Breuer, Pier Luigi Nervi and Bernard Zehrfuss.

Tunnel Loi, Bruxelles, Belgium

A perspective view of Le Berlaymont and Batiment Europa adjacent one another

The design concept reflects both the 20th century innovative spirit and sheer audacity and brings to mind the astonishing civil engineering arrow at the 1958 exhibition.

The building has a cruciform design spanning from a central core, with four wings of unequal size. It was built on piles below each wing, supporting a narrow concrete ridge, 40 meters high, which in turn supported steel beams forming the glass faรงade frame covering the prefabricated floors.

Le Berlaymont, Rue de La Loi, Bruxelles A perspective view of Le Berlaymont from Robert Schuman Roundabout

The upper beams directly supported the 13th floor, suspended entirely by making the lower level stand free except for the core. The design is meant to convey a sensation of light and transparency. To prevent it from becoming monotonous it includes decorative details such as sculptures and frescos.

The complex was originally designed to house 3000 civil servants and 1600 cars under the entire complex in a four-level underground parking lot. The foundations run to a depth of 20 metres. Due to the 55-meter height restriction around the Cinquantenaire, the number of lower levels linked to the road tunnels and metro.

It included 17 flexible conference rooms which could be used by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

The upper floors contained a further nine meeting rooms of the Commission. It has converted free space outside into public gardens and terraces.

The structure has not changed since the renovation except for a press extension. The traffic flow has been improved, but underground parking has been reduced and surface parking has been converted almost entirely into a pedestrian mall that flows into the surrounding urban landscape

A view of Le Berlaymont’s facade

Security has been improved, and the restaurant and multimedia centers get natural light from a lighting well. The helipad was replaced by a cupola that houses the meeting room of the Commission, overlooking the roundabout of Schuman.

The building meets the strictest standards for the environment, reusing light, power and heat throughout the building. The façade has been replaced by a curtain wall with mobile glass screens adapting to weather conditions and reducing glare while still allowing for light in.

When opened, the windows cut off the air conditioning to prevent gasping of energy. Offices, which are now bigger, can have their heating automatically or individually adjusted. When the room is unoccupied the heating is switched off automatically.

A vintage back door access of a house in the old town of the city of Brussel

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Museum aan de Stroom a n t w e r p, b e l g i u m

The Museum Aan De Stroom or publicly known as MAS is a formidable, modern warehouse. Its unique architecture is based on the warehouses of the 19th century that were typical of the town and district where the MAS is situated. The world-famous Neutelings Riedijk Architecten designed this unique building which won an architectural competition in 2000.

The design represented in a unique way the location’s historical function and atmosphere.

Their ingenious vertical town tour, offering an unprecedented look at every corner and angle of the city and port.

MAS is a nine story stack of cantilevered volumes dressed in Rajasthan rough red sandstone. Visitors ascend the structure on a wide path winding up and around the volumes of the cantilevered gallery. From this corkscrewing ‘street,’ which is open to the public without charge, you can see the city through large picture windows that are ondulating like curtains in theatre, or in line with the maritime theme , the Scheldt waves. The views are exceptional, as are the fluted glass panels especially made for the Verona project.

MAS, Antwerp Belgium

A perspective view of MAS from ground floor

“

Be AMAZED by the Architecture.

Allow yourself to be swept away by what you see in each gallery and by the stories the flow in from all over the world.

In the past, today and in the future.

New stories are written here every day.

After all, a port city never sleeps.

The MAS is a palce where you look at the world, at Anwerp and yourself.

“

Welcome to the MAS, a river of tales.

The rooms of the museum are stacked upside down, offset by a quarter turn on each level, creating an impressive spiral tower.

The Boulevard leads you past every room. The Boulevard runs past seven museum rooms like a spiral of glass, each offset by a quarter turn from the room beneath. Escalators take you over to the top of all nine floors.

Along the way you will discover the rich history of Antwerp in the world and the world in Antwerp, and the Boulevard will also treat you to a wonderful view of the city, which changes constantly as your rise higher.

And at the top, on the roof terrace, a 360-degree view of the city, the port and the world awaits you.

The building is a wonder, in a structural sense. The offset sandstone boxes 12 m from a concrete service core each project, held firmly by massive steel trusses which remain exposed in the galleries. Those metal braces were installed with a slight upward shift during construction, and then allowed to sink into place with the sandstone panels added load.

Computer algorithm is responsible for the arrangement of those sandstone panels which were taken from four separate quarries and have subtle tone gradations.

MAS, Antwerp Belgium

A perspective view of MAS from Bonapartedok

The patterning is random, but restricted in a way that never touches three panels of the same colour.

The result is a dappled effect that is beautiful in the sun; the panels add a depth of surface and visual complexity under the flat grey skies.

SUC CE SS

Journey IS A

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DESTINATION

M oW ment onders Of

LIVE FLOWERS. As you walk across Belgium or anywhere around Europe, you will notice flowers everywhere. Such a surreal experience to wonder this beautiful nature. With all these new exposure to the eye, one has to wonder why. What with all these flowers? How flowers can be such a icon to the locals? Why Europe?

Can these flowers thrive if agricate in a different country? Its a moment of wonders.

The Europian Union including Belgium is a net exporter of pot plants, conifers and hardy perennial plants, bulbs and corms, a net importer of cut flowers and cut foliage and has a net trade surplus for live plants and floriculture products.

Live plants and floriculture products include live trees, shrubs and bushes, and other goods commonly delivered for planting or ornamental use by nursery gardeners or florists.

Rising levels of flower production and ornamental plant cultivation give the European Union one of the highest flower production densities in the world per hectare.

Begonias were one of the biggest exports in Belgium since the 1860s.

Belgium produces 60 million begonia tubers each year and is known as the world’s largest producer of the beautiful bloom.

Flowers blooming at Cinquantenaire

Triumphal Arch at Brussel, Belgium

For years, several towns have presented more modest flower carpets, but it was in 1971 that the first official Floral Carpet was unveiled on the Grand-Place in Brussels. The imposing, historic architecture that circles the square certainly adds to the uniqueness of this colorful event that must surely elevate the spirits and bring a smile to the faces of all those lucky enough to attend.

Having a mild and humid climate, horticulture is Belgian have the right criteria to grows the flowers like, Roses, Flowers Grown from Bulbs, Chrysanthemums, Freesias, Gerberas, Bluebells,Clivia and Delhaize, being the world’s largest producer of Azaleas and Bagonia. Lilies, Colorful Roses, Sunflowers, Orchids, Gerberas, Chrysanthemums and Daisy are some of the flowers which are passionately liked by Belgians for the gift purposes on various occasions.

The Common Red Poppy is the Belgian national flora. Growing in fields and waste places, these beautiful flowers are mildly analgesic and sedative, and have been used for a long time in European herbal medicine, especially in children and elderly ailments. Red Poppy, which is mainly used as a mild pain reliever and as a treatment for irritable coughs, also reduces nervousness over activity.

inside of an

atomium Antwerp, Belgium

The Atomium was conceived and created for the Brussel World Expo Fair in 1958, halfway between a sculpture and an architectural work, and served as an iconic, landmark building for this event. This structure, the world’s only one of its kind, represents an iron crystal that was magnified 165 billion times. It has become symbolic of Brussels and Belgium over the years.

The Atomium, which celebrated its 60th birthday in 2018, reinvents itself continuously and delights its visitors with the exhibitions and special events it hosts. In this way, year after year, it retains its status as the leading attraction of European capital.

This landmark development is a 102 m high aluminum and steel construction which dominates the Heysel plateau in Brussels. The design team has seen their creation last decades, and is gaining fame as Belgium’s response to the Eiffel Tower.

André Waterkeyn, and André and Jean Polak were the architects of Atomium.

Atomium

The structure is also said to represent the nine provinces of Belgium, and was designed to bring harmony between the country’s French and Flemish-speaking regions.

There is an urban square at the foot of the structure, from which visitors can admire the Atomium from various angles. Visitors can make use of a wide range of urban furniture at different locations throughout the complex, and consider the contrasts between the building’s foot, the esplanade, and the splendid view from the site.

Entrance of Atomium exhibiting a sculpture

The Atomium’s inner space passes by the spheres and tubes continuously. The design revolves around the emptying, opening, perception and experiencing ideas. The Atomium takes visitors on a journey through its spheres, providing them with a new aesthetic. In the lower sphere begins a visit to the Atomium, with an exhibition dedicated to Expo 58 and details of how the structure was first built. Next are the temporary exhibition spheres which include works of art, photographs and film screenings.

Afterwards visitors proceed to the central sphere.

While waiting for the lift, they are able to visit the two bars at the venue.

People can sample the restaurant menu in the upper sphere, and enjoy the splendid panorama created by the new windows. As the visitors descend, the route continues into the children’s sphere, which is a gateway to a dream world, with an overnight dormitory for schoolchildren to visit, and is furnished with water molecules. Six of the nine spheres of the Atomium are accessible, offering a discovery journey and a diverse array of perspectives. The Atomium had no intention of surviving beyond the World Fair of 1958. However, the building’s uniqueness and highly symbolic character resulted in a major restoration at the dawn of the 2000’s.

ABSTRACT The purpose of travel is connected with building social relationships, opportunities to learn and grow, and commitment. It gives me the opportunity to be genuinely involved in an activity, to develop new skills and to discover new cultures. It brings me closer to one another and to ourselves.

By submerging ourselves in new cultures, environments, culinary traditions, we will enrich ourselves with new frameworks for comparison and give our world room to grow. During travelling you may experience the craziest, most exciting things, that will eventually become great stories that you can tell others. When you grow old and look back at your life and all your travel experiences, you will realise how much you have done in your life and your life was not in vain. It can provide you with happiness and satisfaction for the rest of your life.

A view of the countryside of Europe

All images are privately source and photographed by Hasbullah Hairi.

This magazine is for assignment purposes only.