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The guild houses “Den Cruywagen” (tanners) and “Den Sack” (carpenters and coopers) on Brussels’ Grand Place - © Wikimedia Commons, photo by Pol Mayer

Trade guilds

As early as the 11th century, informal organizations of people with the same profession or trade began to emerge in the Low Countries. These artisans often lived together in the same streets and neighborhoods of medieval towns. In the regions that today make up Flanders, they were primarily active in the food supply, the textile sector, the construction sector, the

Visitors are drawn to an Indian elephant, 1970s - © Antwerp City Archives

Antwerp Zoo

Flanders has thirteen accredited zoos. None of them has as rich a history as Antwerp ZOO. It was founded in 1843 as the country’s very first zoo. From the very beginning, Antwerp ZOO has primarily been a place where people go to relax and watch animals in captivity

Wim Delvoye with Marcel, the tattooed pig, 1998 - © dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo

Wim Delvoye's tattooed pigs

Austrian Tim Steiner is a walking work of art. Between 2006 and 2008, West Flemish artist Wim Delvoye covered his entire back in tattoos. A German collector “purchased” the work—which is why Tim can regularly be seen with his back bare in galleries and museums around the world. The “owner” is even said to have the right

KV Mechelen in action at Achter de Kazerne, 1947 - © Mechelen City Archives - regionalebeeldbank.be

Achter de Kazerne Soccer Stadium

Anyone in Mechelen who asks about Achter de Kazerne will immediately know if they’re talking to a KV Mechelen fan. For them, the soccer club’s stadium is a place full of memories. Achter de Kazerne opened in 1911, seven years after KV Mechelen was founded. At that time, it was still known as the

Engraving depicting a view of Herkenrode Abbey, by Remacle Leloup, ca. 1740 – Het Stadsmus, Hasselt

Fish on Friday

For centuries, the Catholic Church and the fishing industry have had a strong connection. Fishing was a dangerous profession, and fishermen often sought solace in their faith. Coastal residents, for example, frequently prayed to Mary, whom they called Our Lady of the Dunes. Conversely, the Church itself was actively involved in fish farming. This was certainly true of

The Cloth Hall of Ypres in a 16th-century woodcut - Ypres Museum

Weaving Prosperity

In the Middle Ages, one economic sector in particular drove the growing prosperity of Flemish cities such as Ypres, Bruges, and Ghent: the cloth industry. Wool was needed to make cloth. Initially, most of this wool came from sheep in the coastal region. Starting in the 12th century, the textile industry grew so large that

Stained-glass window depicting fishermen on horseback at sea, Frans van Immerseel, 1909–1978 – NAVIGO National Fisheries Museum – artinflanders.be, photo by Dominique Provost

Fishing with horses

In Oostduinkerke, you can witness a unique spectacle in the spring and fall. Around low tide, fishermen ride Brabant draft horses out into the waves. Along the coastline, they catch kilos of delicious shrimp with their trawl nets. Shrimp fishing, or “kruien,” has been practiced along the