Belgian flags are flying left, right and centre as preparations begin for the country's National Day on 21 July. But what does Belgium celebrate on this day and how do they mark the occasion?
21 July this year falls on a Sunday but National Day is also a bank holiday, meaning that public services and most shops close their doors. Various events take place across the country with the biggest spectacles in Brussels.
The military and civilian parade takes place on the Place des Palais in the city centre. Brussels institutions, places of worship and museums are open to visit for free. The day ends with a large free concert and a major fireworks show.
What is Belgium celebrating?
Belgian National Day commemorates the swearing-in of the first king of the Belgians, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1831.
The country gained independence on 4 October 1830 after the Belgian Revolution – the armed uprising against King William I of Orange-Nassau (King of the Netherlands). When the National Congress decided to make Belgium a kingdom it also decided to celebrate the nation's birth.
A statue of King Leopold I. CRedit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Leopold I – a German prince and widower of the British Crown Princess Charlotte – was chosen as Belgium's king. He had good ties with the United Kingdom and maintained good relations with the Rothschild banking family, which financed the monarchy.
Leopold entered Belgium on 16 July 1831, visiting De Panne on the coast and cities such as Bruges and Ghent, before being crowned on the Place Royale in Brussels. He married Louise Marie, daughter of the French king Louis-Philippe, in 1832.
Last year, the National Day celebration also observed the tenth anniversary of the reign of King Philippe, who was sworn in on 21 July 2013.
Activities and events in Brussels
Every year, several official ceremonies and events involve the royal family, who always start the day by attending the traditional performance of the Catholic hymn of Te Deum in Brussels' St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral.
On the eve of the National Day (Saturday 20 July), a free classical music concert will be held in the iconic Bozar venue. The same evening will see the traditional Bal National held on Place de Jeu de Balle in the Marolles neighbourhood; this features free concerts and draws a large crowd.
The following day transforms the square into Resto National – Brussels' largest restaurant. Mussels with fries are on the menu, and majorettes and brass bands provide entertainment.
Credit: Bal National
From 10:00 until 20:00 on Sunday, Parc de Bruxelles (beside the royal palace) will host various activities. For the third running, 'National Sports Day' will be held with introductory and advanced workshops in a range of sports, from grass hockey to martial arts. The bandstand in the heart of the park will become a stage for free concerts.
A wide range of stands will also run activities: the Prince Laurent Foundation is organising treasure hunts, tombolas, children's make-up and more; the Wikifin stand will answer questions about money. Elsewhere you can try the six-metre climbing wall or get your bicycle fixed.
Institutions, places of worship and museums will open to the public, including the Federal Parliament, the Court of Audit, the Church of Saint-Jacques-op-Koudenberg, the Protestant Church of Brussels, the Korean Cultural Centre, the Musical Instruments Museum and Bozar.
A police demonstration on National Day. Credit: 2107
On Place Royale, the Defence Ministry will display its equipment and vehicles whilst live demonstrations will be held as well as interactive activities and a 'Parcours Defence' competition for children.
Other sights worth seeing are the crossbow and archery performances on Rue de la Régence; the "Police Village" on Place Poelaert with demonstrations by police dogs and motorcyclists; and the "Security Village" on Sablon where the public can pilot drones; and see Europe's tallest ladder, as used by the Brussels fire brigade (64 m).
Military aeroplanes fly over the parade. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
A National Day highlight is the military and civilian parade – for which rehearsals took place several days ago. It will take place between 16:00 and 17:40 in the Place des Palais, and visitors are invited to watch the parade from the Rue Royale, starting from Boulevard du Jardin Botanique.
Hundreds of soldiers (including veterans), motorised vehicles such as the new Jaguar, Griffon, Falcon and Caesar military vehicles, and some 26 aircraft, including six F-16s and a German H145 helicopter, will be on show. The civilian parade will include police, customs and Civil Security officers and firefighters.
Traffic will be disrupted throughout the day and trams and buses will be impacted with several streets and tunnels around Place des Palais and the Cinquantenaire Park closed off. City authorities recommend coming to Brussels by train or metro. Car parks on the edge of the city will be available, especially in Kraainem, Heysel, Delta and Roodebeek (metro).
STIB also confirmed all four metros and tram lines 3, 4, 7, 9, 19, 25, 81 and 92 will run longer (until around or just after 01:00).
