Dulle Griet of Ghent

Dulle Griet is a monumental iron bombard located in the city of Ghent. Because of the original red color, the gun was traditionally also called "rode duyvele" old Flemish for "Red Devil'. The bombard dates from 1431 and was probably made by Jean Cambier, the major arms supplier to the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good. She was taken in 1578 along with other weaponry from the city of Oudenaarde and brought to Ghent to be used in the fight against the Spaniards. Whether the gun was stolen or sold is unclear.

It is a so-called 'gecercleerd' gun and was made of wrought iron rods around which iron hoops were laid. With a length of 5,025 meters and a mass of 12 250 kg, the canon was one of the biggest bombards of its time. The original mass has been possible up to 12,500 kg, but over the centuries the total mass decreased by rusting. The canon could bombard projectiles with a diameter of 64 cm and an (estimated) mass to 295 kg. The wooden trestles where Dulle Griet originally rested on were replaced in 1783 by decorated brackets of bluestone.

Since 1943 the Dulle Griet is a protected monument. The square where the gun is on is called "Grootkanonplein", meaning "Big gun square". You can find it at the "Vrijdagmarkt" in Ghent.

Belgian kids got to drink beer during their school lunch

There are almost 800 different kinds of beer in Belgium. One kind was very popular till the70's, it was even given to kids at school during their lunch break. Beer to kids? You must be kidding! Well, let's go a bit further into this. The beers we are talking about were so-called table beers, a kind of beer that was specially made for people who can't drink alcohol. So it's was a kind of alcohol-free beer, a kind, because there was some alcohol in it. between 1 and 4 percent alcohol. The most popular table beer was Piedboeuf, it had 1.1 percent alcohol in it and there was a lot of sugar added to make it as sweet as Coca-Cola. A good marketing strategy made that it was well distributed in almost all schools in Belgium. The reason was that it would be very healthy for them, because of the natural ingredients and of course the sugar. It would make them grow fast and strong. It would even be good for pregnant women and for women that were breastfeeding their baby'

How the Belgians founded New York

In order to avoid any confusion in this story, it is important to know that in the sixteenth century, the Netherlands covered a part of northern France and Lorraine, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the present Netherlands. Its inhabitants were called the Belgians, and the maps represented the country in the shape of a lion: the "Leo Belgicus". Besides, numerous maps from the sixteenth century showed this territory under the name of Belgium. The latter failed into disuse for the benefit of the Netherlands and only reappeared in 1789 on the occasion of the first Belgian revolution. In 1831 Belgium became an independent country. Today Belgium is a lot smaller and is divided into two big regions mostly based on the language they speak in that particular region. In the north, there is Flanders where they speak Flemish (Dutch) and in the south, there is the Walloon part where they speak French. Almost in the center and between the two parts is the region of the capital Brussels.

A secret medieval street in Antwerp

The Vlaeykensgang is a unique small street in the center of Antwerp. Hidden between two busy Antwerp streets and close to the Cathedral. This medieval times street can easily be walked past unnoticed. Behind its meter-wide entrance, there is an oasis. A step into the passage with its quiet courtyards transports visitors back in time, back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Picture by Harry Fabel Previously, the street was the domain of shoemakers, who had to sound the alarm bell of the Cathedral, also some of the poorest people of the city lived in that very small street. Now you will find antique shops, art galleries, and an exclusive restaurant, Sir Anthony Van Dyck. There is a subdued atmosphere and the street is a popular place to listen to the cathedral's summer carillon concerts. At its heart, you find the Axel Vervoordt Gallery. Picture by Harry Fabel The "Vlaeykensgang" exists as a key piece of Antwerp’s architectural and sociological history, offering a

Amazing Belgium

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