Belgium and All Saints’ Waterloo

Belgium is located in the north-west of the European Union, its coast in the north-west bordering the North Sea, close to where it meets the Straits of Dover. Its land borders are with the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the south and France to the west. The UK in the west is only a Eurostar or Eurotunnel trip away.

Occupied by a wide variety of nations and tribes from all over Europe during its very long history, it has only been known as Belgium since 1830. These occupiers have left their mark in numerous ways not only historically but culturally, socially, and artistically.

When the tribes or nations clashed these led to major battles taking place here, the most recent being the Battle of Waterloo (1815), on which site All Saints’ Waterloo is located; the First World War mostly (in the north around Ieper (Ypres); and the Second World War (in the south, around Bastogne, and more generally over the whole country).

The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal country, divided into three official Regions:  Flanders to the north (Dutch-speaking); Wallonia to the south (French-speaking); and Brussels Capital Region, the country’s capital, in the center (Dutch and French-speaking). There are also three official language Communities: Dutch, French and German-speaking (Ostbelgien or the East Cantons on the border with Germany).

All Saints’ Church Waterloo is situated some 25 km (about 15.5 miles) from the center of Brussels, in the Walloon Region and the Province of Brabant wallon.

Today, Belgium is a modern country, benefitting greatly from the richness of its cultural origins and international status, as it is host to the European Union Commission and Parliament, NATO, SHAPE and Eurocontrol (The European Organisation for Air safety and Navigation). It’s beautiful and varied countryside, offers a vast array of leisure activities for individuals, couples or families.