Contemporary Belgian politics often seems too complex for its good, but the political landscape in the Middle Ages and the early modern period could have been even more bizarre. Belgium was once a ...

Belgium may be divided politically and linguistically, but one thing all regions and communities can agree on is the beloved national biscuit: Speculoos. Much like beer, chocolate, waffles or fries, ...

On the last Friday of May, a military plane touched down outside Brussels and a man in a dark suit ran out, leaping into the arms of family members. The Belgian aid worker, Olivier Vandecasteele, was ...

Since 1999, Vladimir Putin has held an ever-tighter grip over Russia. Despite waves of protest against his corruption, suppression of the media, and human rights, the Russian strongman is unflinching ...

Described as short and plump, plainly dressed Sister Godfrieda did not stand out, apart from the fact that she wore a nun’s habit. But after she was arrested for a series of murders in the picturesque ...

Just like everything else in Belgium, prostitution is a complicated topic. With different rules in different parts of the country, and no clear message on what is and what isn’t allowed, a lot of ...

The tourist office in Mons and other gift shops in the city are proud enough of Elio Di Rupo to sell colourful bow ties, in a tribute to the former Mayor and Prime Minister’s signature sartorial ...

From his home in the rural Flemish municipality of Oudsbergen, Raymond Behr shows his collection of medals. At just 17 years old, Behr was one of the 3,172 soldiers sent by Belgium to help defend ...

On a grey Belgian spring day, people in dark suits hurry up and down Antwerp’s Hoveniersstraat carrying black leather briefcases. Some pause to talk with one another for a moment, but in the city’s ...

Famous the world over, Belgium exports chocolate all around the globe. Known for its superior quality, Belgian chocolate is renowned for its high cocoa content, making it particularly rich. Despite ...

More potatoes? Only once you have eaten all of your sprouts! is the perennial battle cry of parents heard at Christmas dinner tables whenever Brussels sprouts are involved. Love it or hate it, the ...

On October 25, 1555, the grandees of the Habsburg Netherlands gathered in the Great Hall of the Coudenberg Palace in Brussels to witness an extraordinary event. A weary old man with a grey beard and a ...