National Tokens by country...

Alden Biesen

The Landcommandery Alden Biesen was built by the German Order (Teutonic knights). Nowadays this castle is a cultural centre of the Flemish Community. Alden Biesen did not only set up historical and European activities but the Landcommandery is also a congress centre and a cultural and tourist attraction. In this way we want to contribute to the exchange of ideas and the development of broad minded people.
Lies Kerkhofs, director Alden Biesen.

• Location information
• www.alden-biesen.be

Amandine

The Amandine is the last trawler that sailed from Ostend to Iceland. Built in 1960 at the shipyard Panesi, she sailed until 1995. Coming from Iceland, she arrived in ostend on the 3th of April 1995.
Now, 7 years later, the Amandine has started a second career as an interactive museum. The last Iceland fishing boat 'Amandine' has been restored. The ship was placed in a special basin in the center of town. The interior of the ship is a museum in which the life on board the ship as it was in the old days has been simulated.

• Location information
• www.museum-amandine.be

Ambiorix

Ambiorix was the leader of the Eburones, a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where nowadays Belgium is located, conquered by Julius Ceasar in 57 BC.

One day, Ambiorix cunningly warned the Romans that several other tribes were planning to attack and advised them to relocate to another Roman camp so that they would be stronger to battle these troops. The Romans would rather be safe then sorry, so they decided to relocate and join with other Roman troops. While they crossed a valley Ambiorix and his men attacked them from up the hills and slaughtered the whole Roman legion.

When Ceasar heard what had happened, he swore to put down all the Belgic tribes. The Roman campaigns against the Belgae took a few years, but eventually the Belgae were no match against 50,000 trained Roman soldiers. The tribes were slaughtered or driven out and their fields burned. The Eburones were history from that point. Ambiorix and his men, however, managed to cross the Rhine and disappear without a trace.

• Location information
• coin available in the tourist office and the cathedral www.tongeren.be www.basiliektongeren.be

Ardennes '44

The Battle of Bastogne was a smaller battle in and around the Belgian town of Bastogne, during the larger Battle of the Bulge. The battle lasted from December 1944 to January 1945. During the battle, German divisions surrounded and attempted to capture Bastogne. The town was being held by the american 101st Airborne Division. The German forces tended to focus their attacks at one spot on several individual locations attacked in sequence. Although this made the American forces move about, it tended to dissipate the German advantage. Despite the Germans numerical advantage, they were not able to take the city.

• Location information

• www.paysdebastogne.be

Atomium

Little than 4 years before the crucial date, i.e. November 1954, the engineer André Waterkeyn, who wished to celebrate scientific progress, hit upon the idea of the Atomium. This was to represent the atomic lattice of iron crystals, magnified 165 billion times linearly, according to the "cubic body centered" system. The Atomium is the visualization of microscopic molecular structures on a great enlarged scale.
The fact that the Atomium rests on a single sphere, so that the diagonal of the cube is vertical, results principally from aesthetic considerations. The three bi pods which start at ground level and support the three lower spheres have therefore no symbolic significance.
The Atomium was the star of Expo 58 and it still is a worldwide attraction for tourists today.

• Location information
• www.atomium.be

B. Valentinus Paquay

Jean-Louis Paquay, better known as father Valentinus Paquay or the ' Heilig paterke ', was born in Tongeren on 17 November 1828. He entered at the Franciscans and exercised during 50 years its priestly ministry in Hasselt. He died on 1 January 1905.
His popularity had been generated for its gave of prophecy and his astonishing knowledge of the conscience situation of its confessants. The process of its canonization was immediately started after its dead. In 1926, his body was laid in a burial chamber especially built for him. The burial chamber is linked with a museum, where visitors can find all kinds of objects from his parental house and from his cloistral existence.

Basiliek

For more than six centuries now the people of Scherpenheuvel have been venerating a miraculous statue of Mary. In 1605 the archduke and duchess Albrecht and Isabella gave this village the privileges of a city and instructed that a monumental church should be built.
The central dome construction of this Baroque church is flanked by six side chapels, a west building with a flat facade and an eastern tower, which was never completed. This place of pilgrimage was to be the bastion of the Catholic Counter Reformation. Every year, on the Sunday after All Saints’ Day, the candlelight procession moves through the town carrying the miraculous statue of Mary around the streets near the basilica.

Belfort

The construction of the belfry tower began in the 13th century. The mediaeval belfry tower is 88 meters in height and houses the former city treasury, in which Bruges' valuables (money and royal charters) were once kept. A climb of 366 steps takes the visitor past the impressive clock mechanism and culminates in a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. The famous 47-bell carillon is also located there.

• Location information
• www.brugge.be

Belfry and Town Hall

Visitors can spot some beautiful historic buildings on the town square of the city of Lier.The town hall was built in Rococo-style and has a beautiful pediment which bears the coat of arms of the city.

Against the town hall stands the belfry tower. This important tower is the symbol of the power and the autonomy of the city. From the balcony of this tower the official city announcements were proclaimed. The tower itself dates from 1369, a time when the city of Lier became rather prosperous. Today, the belfry tower is the last remainder of what used to be the cloth hall, the symbol of the medieval economic expansion of the corporation of cloth workers.

• Location information
• www.lier.be

Belgium Pier

Formerly, Blankenberge was a simple fishing village, but now it is one of the country's most popular seaside resorts.

The Pier of Blankenberge dominates the entire beach. The Pier has an unique structure: consisting of a 350 meters long pedestrian bridge in the sea, leading to the monumental round building. Did you know that the first one (cast iron) pier dates back to 1894? In 1914, it was burned down  by the Germans. In 1933 a new concrete pier was built and in 2003 it was then completely renovated.

Blankenberge can be proud of an attractive sandy beach of 3.3 km long and 350 m wide at low tide. In the summer it is a paradise for sun lovers: perfect beach comfort, ability to hire strandkabines, sun loungers and parasols.
During the winter it is a beautiful backdrop for endless walks.

Bobbejaanland

Bobbejaanland is a family theme park located in the midst of the fens and woods of the green Kempen. The park was named after the country and western entertainer Bobbejaan Schoepen, who set up the park in 1961 as a place to perform after he grew tired of touring the world.
Bobbejaanland has more than 50 dry and wet attractions including some amazing roller coasters like the new attraction Typhoon, the El Rio, Locomotion, Bob Express and the spectacular Thrillenium Ride. For the younger kids the parks has a fairytale ride through "Kinderland."

• Location information
• www.bobbejaanland.be

Canada War Museum

World War II as it was lived in Flanders, the Canada Museum takes visitors back to the heart of that time. Through many realistic scenes the visitors can experience war time. A monumental panorama represents the battle for the Leopold canal in a most impressive way.
This exceptional museum is unique in Europe and was founded as a special sign of honor for those who were involved in WWII and for the youth, to remember this horrible time.

• Location information
• www.canadamuseum.be

Cascades de Coo

A couple of kilometers from Stavelot you can admire the "famous" Coo Waterfalls in the Amblève river, with their modest 13 meters still the highest in Belgium.
The small waterfall already existed in the 15th century. In the 17th century, the prince-abbot of Stavelot ordered the local monks to build the large waterfall, most probably to protect the village of Petit-Coo downstream against flooding. Before that the river made almost a full circle (a meander) of almost a kilometer long.
The waterfalls are a major tourist attraction, and a very popular stopping stage during trips to the Ardennes.

• Location information
• http://www.plopsa.be/plopsacoo/

Centraal station

The Antwerp Central Station is the terminal station of the oldest railway line in Belgium (Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp). Dubbed the 'Railway Cathedral', it is one of the main landmarks in Antwerp. It was built between 1895 and 1905 and replaced a wooden train station. The complex consists of 3 parts: the station building, the metal and glass vault and the elevated rail track.
The monumental main building was designed by the Bruges architect L. Delacenserie. It has a huge dome and used to have 8 smaller towers of which 6 have been demolished. The colorful interior is lavishly decorated with more than 20 different kinds of marble and stone. The main hall and the railway cafeteria can match the interiors of many palaces. Not a single square meter either inside or outside the building is not decorated.

• Location information
• Coin available at the shop in the entrance hall www.antwerpen.be

Château de Lavaux-Saint-Anne

The Château de Lavaux-Sainte-Anne is located in Belgium near Rochefort, in the province of Namur, Wallonia.
Built in the 15th century, the castle of Lavaux was designed to seriously impede the advancing enemy: it has deep-water moats, curved causeways, drawbridges, arrow slits, dungeons and towers. In 1630, Baron Jacques Reynard de Rouveroy bought Lavaux and turned it into a residential castle. Today, visitors will be impressed by its sumptuous decor, hunting facilities and falconry, as well as the charming Hunting Museum that it houses.

• Location information
• www.chateau-lavaux.com

Château-Fort

The castle today is especially a vestige from the XVI century until the Dutch period. The monument has been classified as the most important historical monument in Walloon.
It consists of three fortresses which are linked with each other by means of bridges. One of the most important components is the ducal palace, situated in the south west on the inner court.
The Godfried of Bouillon room, which has been chopped partially in the rock, dates from the XIII century. Of the medieval donjon remains only one piece of wall on the inner court.

• Location information
• www.bouillon-initiative.be

Citadelle de Dinant

On a cliff, more than 100 meters above the River Meuse, the citadel of Dinant offers spectacular views of the town and countryside. A fortification may have stood on this spot as long ago as the fourth century, and the Bishop Prince of Liège certainly ordered the construction of a fortress on this spot in 1051, but the present structure dates to the early 19th century.
It is reached from the town either by cable car or by the 408 steps cut into the hillside. The citadel plays host to a small Arms Museum and several interesting objects d'art that reveal the glorious past of this Meuse town.

• Location information
• www.citadellededinant.be

Citadelle de Namur

The Citadel with its vast underground networks is situated at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. It was one of the most important fortresses. The site has always been occupied, almost without interruption, from the days of old up to today.
The last demilitarized zone has been open to the public since the paratroopers left in 1978. Visitors can discover this fortified area thanks to a circuit which combines a small train ride with an audio-visual display, followed by a guided tour of the underground chambers and a visit to the Artillery and 3rd Lancer-Parachute Regiment exhibition halls.

• Location information
• www.citadelle.namur.be

Damianus De Veuster

Father Damien (1840-1889) was the religious name of Joseph Damien de Veuster. He was a Belgian Roman Catholic missionary famous for his work among the lepers on the island of Molokai, Hawaii.
Born in Tremelo, Damien was the son of a farmer. Following his elder brother Pamphile, he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Damien had nearly finished his studies for the priesthood when his brother, about to embark for the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands, fell ill. At his own request, Damien was sent (1865) in his place.

He was ordained (1866) in Honolulu, where he worked among the natives until 1873; then he was appointed to work among the lepers on the island of Molokai. Conditions there were deplorable, with lack of proper housing, medical aid, and sanitary conditions. Damien devoted himself entirely to the spiritual and physical care of the lepers, obtaining government aid for them and encouraging agriculture and local industry. Although he contracted leprosy in 1884, he continued his labours until his death. He not only ministered to the spiritual needs of the lepers but also dressed their sores, provided shelter and food, and buried them.

Drielandenpunt

On Mount Vaals, southwest of Aachen, the borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet.
At 323m above sealevel, the highest elevation in the Netherlands is only a few meters from the three border point. On the Belgian side, there is a tower with a panoramic view of the three countries. Most tourist attractions are in the Netherlands: A Labyrinth, a playground, clay pigeon shooting, souvenir shops and restaurants. The German side is a forest.
The Three Country Point is accessible by car from Gemmenich in Belgium and Vaals in the Netherlands. The borders are marked on the ground surrounding the boundary marker. The fourth line within the Belgian segment hints at the area "Neutral-Moresnet", which was established in 1816 due to a dispute over a zinc mine, but became part of Belgium in 1919.

• Location information
• www.drielandenpunt.be www.drielandenpunt.nl

Euro Space Center

The Euro Space Center is dedicated to space travel and learning about the galaxies and planets. It has a real size space shuttle and training courses in which participants can experience a micro-gravity simulator, moon-walk chair, multi-axis chair and rotating chair.

• Location information
• www.eurospacecenter.be

Europlanetarium

In the midst of the beautiful nature of the Hoge kempen, more specifically in the recreation area Kattevennen, stands one of the 4 active observatories of Flanders.
In the Europlanetarium visitors become acquainted with all aspects of astronomy, the space travel and meteorology. From a comfortable seat and in all weather circumstances visitors can meet with planets, comets, black breaches, etc.
The planetarium instrument can show to 9.000 stars. This is much more than visible with the naked eye.

• Location information
• www.europlanetarium.com

Fort Breendonk

During the Nazi occupation of Belgium, Fort Breendonk (which was completed in 1906 as part of the defense belt around Antwerp) served as a SS detention camp. The camp was headed by German SS officers and staffed with Flemish SS personnel.
Breendonk became synonymous with terror and brutality as the Nazis used it to lock-up and interrogate political prisoners (people of the resistance and generally everyone who the Germans thought of as "reichsfeindlich"). Hundreds of inmates were executed or died of mistreatment, torture and starvation. More than 2.000 prisoners were eventually deported to prisons and concentration camps in Germany. The museum Fort Breendonk shows visitors in an intense way, aided by an audio-guide, how life must have been for the prisoners.

• Location information
• www.breendonk.be

Fort Napoleon

Napoleon built this fort as a defence against a possible invasion from England. A British invasion never came, and the fort was completed only upon the fall of Napoleon in 1814. During the two world wars, the fort was used by the German military. After the liberation, however, it fell into disrepair.
Since 1995, Fort Napoleon has been managed by “Erfgoed Vlaanderen” that sees to the restoration and has turned it into a hospitable spot. Today you can not only discover the captivating past, but also enjoy the cultural activities, a relaxing visit to the bistro or a gourmet dinner in an exclusive setting.

Fort Napoleon is one of the top venues in Oostende. It is situated next to the sea, with a superb terrace that offers a unique view of the port of Oostende and the city centre

Gouden Rijder

This coin is a replica of a medieval coin called ‘Gouden Rijder’ (Golden Horseman).

The obverse shows Lodewijk Van Male in tournament armour on his horse and the Latin inscription ‘LVDOVICVS DEI GRA(tia) COMES E(t) D(omi)N(u)S FLA(n)DRIE’
(Lodewijk, Duke and Lord of Flanders by the grace of God). The reverse depicts a decorated flower cross and the Latin inscription ‘XRC VINCIT XRC REGNAT XRC IMPERAT’ (Christ overcomes, Christ is King, Christ rules).
Lodewijk van Male (1330 - 1384) was the 24th Count of Flanders. Under his rule coins were minted at the Gravensteen in Ghent, around 1353, where one can still see the remains of the melting furnaces. The ‘Gouden Rijder’ coins are considered to be among the most beautiful medieval coins.

• Location information
• www.gent.be

Gravensteen

The Gravensteen is the Dutch name for the 'castle of the count'. The Gravensteen, like we know it today, has been constructed by Fillips of Alsasse who was count of Flanders between 1157 and 1191. The Gravensteen functioned as the center of the Count's power during the early Middle-Ages. This is somewhat symbolized by the main keep or 'donjon' (tower) from where one can have a panoramic view over the city.

The Gravensteen has been used in later times for different purposes. After the counts moved to more comfortable mansions in the later centuries, it was used as the Mint and later as the main prison of Gent. In the nineteenth century a cotton plant was installed here. In the inner court little houses where built for the textile workers of the plant. Today, the Gravensteen has been beautifully restored. It is still partially surrounded by the medieval moat.

• Location information
• www.gent.be

Groeningemuseum

The Groeningemuseum is a Municipal Museum of Bruges. It houses a comprehensive survey of six centuries of Flemish and Belgian painting, from Jan van Eyck to Marcel Broodthaers.
The museum's many highlights include its collection of "Flemisch Primitive" art, works by a wide range of Renaissance and Baroque masters, a selection of paintings from the 18th and 19th century neo-classical and Realist periods, milestones of Belgian Symbolism and Modernism, masterpieces of Flemish Expressionism and many items from the city's collection of postwar modern art.

• Location information
• www.brugge.be

Grote Markt

After a bombardment in 1695, where only the city hall remained standing, work started on rebuilding one of the finest squares in the world. The buildings around it each have a specific frontage, but they are all in complete harmony with each other.
The City Hall, founded in the 15th century, is the finest building in the city. Above the 97 meters high tower is the recently restored image of St. Michael, the patron saint of Brussel. The Museum of the City of Brussel is housed in the Broodhuis. You can admire early paintings by Breugel, as well as the entire wardrobe of Manneken Pis, Brussel' most famous citizen. To the north-east of the Grand Place, you will find the Sint-Hubertus gallery, built in 1846 and the oldest covered shopping arcade in Europe.

Grote Markt

The heart of the city on the river Schelde is the Grand-Place, a square presenting an irregular plan and surrounded by wonderful houses, seat of the 16th and 17th century corporations and gilds. The statue of Brabo stands in the middle of the square.
A Sixteenth century legend tells that the name "Antwerpen" comes from Brabo's action ("hand werpen", throw the hand). The Fifteenth century town hall is a perfect example of the association of the Flemish architectural style with Italian Renaissance elements.

• Location information
• www.antwerpen.be

Hidrodoe

A lot of people take water for granted.
Just turn the tap and there it is.
We hardly ever give it more thought.
Yet without water there is no life.

Water is one of the most important commodities in the world, and a crucial factor in the global economy.

Through interaction, fun and emotion, the innovative water centre Hidrodoe offers visitors information on all aspects of water in a playful manner. By way of powerful concepts, varied displays, astonishing multimedia and well thought-out experiments, water becomes an emotional event.
Hidrodoe urges to physically learn, react, play, and experiment.

Visitors are guided on an exploratory expedition through the world of water along numerous exhibits (indoor and outdoor). From water poetry to the largest whirlpool in the world… Hidrodoe has it all.

• Location information
• www.hidrodoe.be

Historical center

The Mardasson Memorial is a tribute from the Belgian population as a whole to the American nation. For the Americans, Bastogne is the symbol of their legendary spirit of resistance, but also of their sense of judgment in their victorious counter offensive.

The Memorial is shaped to represent the star of freedom, with five points, each one measuring 31 meters. The central atrium’s diameter is 20 meters with a height of up to 12 meters, the summit is encompassed by a circular gallery leading to the orientation tables (scale models showing different stages of the battle), one for each point of the star. The names of the 48 states which then made up the United States are engraved on the crown. Around the outside, badges from the main battalions to have participated in the Battle of the Saillant, can be found. On the inner wall the battle’s progression is explained in English and in ten paintings.

• Location information
• www.bastognehistoricalcenter.be

Kai-Mook

In 2009 the zoo started a big media campain to give attention to the pregnant elephant Khaing Pyo Pyo. Then, on May 17, the first ever Belgium baby elephant, a female named Kai-Mook, was born.

In 2010 Kai-Mook celebrates her first birthday and again attract many thousands to celebrate with her.

• Location information
• www.baby-olifant.be
  www.zooantwerpen.be

Kasteel van Gaasbeek

The historical castle domain of Gaasbeek is situated in the very heart of the “Pajottenland”, only a few miles southwest from Brussels. The first castle of Gaasbeek was built around 1240 as a fortress to protect Brussels and the Duchy of Brabant against attacks from Hainaut and Flanders. It was destroyed in 1388.

Early in the sixteenth century, the Horne family built a brick mansion on the foundations of the medieval fortress. In the subsequent centuries, the castle was lived in and rebuilt by influential families. It was given its present romantic appearance during the 1887-1889 restoration by order of the marchioness Arconati Visconti (née Peyrat).

The castle and grounds were donated to the Belgian State in 1922. Since 1980, they are the property of the Flemish Community. A magnificent park with spectacular vistas and historical gardens surrounds the castle, which now houses an important art collection, illustrating the taste and history of its former owners.

• Location information
• www.kasteelvangaasbeek.be

Lakenhal & kathedraal

This coin shows a view of the picturesque city centre of Ypres, with a view on the Cloth Hall - Belfrey and the St. Martin's Cathedral.
The cloth industry was the major factor in the sudden and rapid growth of the town in the 12th century. Around the 10th century this industry was located in the region of the Somme. There was considerable demand for cloth and this resulted in a rapid growth in the number of production centres. The shift occurred in a northerly direction thereby involving Ypres in this industrial circuit.
Under the terms of the Treaty of Nijmegen signed between Spain and France in 1678, Ypres was placed under French rule until 1713. Louis XIV entrusted the renovation of the ramparts to his renowned expert Sebastien le Prestre, Margrave of Vauban. They became so vast that they covered more surface than the town they had to protect.

• Location information
• www.ieper.be

Manneken Pis

This statue of a little boy in a somewhat compromising position has since several centuries been a major tourist attraction in Brussels.
Nobody actually knows why the manneken is there. He is believed to be nothing more than a decoration on top of a fountain, where people in the Middle-Ages came to get fresh water. Already in the 15th century a fountain called 'manneken-pis' existed in the Stoofstraat/Rue de l'étuve. The official origin can be traced back to the 13th of August 1619 when the city ordered the sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a new bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace an old and withered one.
Manneken-pis is very often dressed in different costumes. At the moment he has a wardrobe of more than 600 costumes, which are all preserved in the King's House, or City Museum at the Grand-Place, the central market square of the city.

• Location information
• http://www.brucity.be/

Menenpoort

Ypres was an ancient fortified town with defensive walls and a moat surrounding it. There were a number of gateways in the walls, including one for the road to the nearby town of Menin. The "Menin Gate" was one of those which faced the front line to the east, and one through which hundreds of thousands of allied troops passed on their way to their destiny. After the War, the gate became the fitting place to record the names of those who passed into oblivion and whose bodies were never identified.

The Menin Gate records the names of 56.000 men from Great Britain and its Empire who were killed in the Ypres Salient between October 1914 and the night of 15th/16th August 1917 and who have no known grave. The people of Ypres still remember the debt they owe these men. At 8 O'Clock every evening, the road which passes under the Memorial is closed and three buglers from the local fire brigade play the last post.

• Location information
• www.lastpost.be

Mercator

The barquentine Mercator lies at anchor in Oostende, Belgium. She was named after Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594), Flemish cartographer. She was designed by the Antarctic explorer Adrien de Gerlache (1866-1934) as a training ship for the Belgian merchant fleet. She was built in Leith, Scotland and launched in 1932.

Besides being a training a ship, she was also used, mainly before World War II, for scientific observations, or as ambassador for Belgium on world fairs and in sailing events. She participated in several races, winning the 1960 Oslo-Oostende tall ships race. She brought back two Moai (giant statues) from Easter Island. In 1936 she brought home from Molokai, Hawaii, the remains of Father Damien. During World War II she was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Mercator. Based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, she was the support ship for submarine forces in the area.

Her last trip was to Lisbon for the commemoration of the quincentenary of the death of infante Henry the Navigator.

Mini-Europe

Located at the foot of the Atomium, Mini-Europe faithfully reproduces the distinctive cities and sites of Europe to a distance that can be comfortably walked in about an hour. Visitors can wander past the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, watch the gondolas go sailing by in Venice and the drama of the dismantling of the Berlin Wall unfolding. Most models are made on a scale of 1:25 but exceptions are made for representations of larger objects - such as Mount Vesuvius, built on the scale of 1:1000. Mini-Europe also incorporates the European Space of interactive multimedia games for children and a European Union information office.

• Location information
• www.minieurope.com

Nello & Patrasche

In front of the entrance of the Antwerp cathedral, a monument was set up for Nello and Patrasche, the two main personages from the tale "A dog of Flanders". The tale is very popular in Japan due to a cartoon series which was transmitted in 1975 on the Japanese TV.
Nello was a poor orphan who helped its uncle each morning with bringing milk to Antwerp. One day he saves the live of an abandoned dog, Patrasche, who as from then will never leave Nello. In spite of the many setbacks, the poverty the suffering, Nello remains honestly and sincere. This tale is considered by many as a symbol of the friendship between Japan and Belgium.

• Location information
• Available at the souvenir shop on the square in front of the cathedral www.antwerpen.be

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek

One of the most remarkable monuments of Tongeren is Our Lady’s Basilica with its majestic 64-metre-high bell tower. This marvelous Gothic church has a long history, since its first stone was laid in 1240.

According to legend, bishop Saint Servatius founded a first church on this spot in the 4th century. Archaelogical researches have indeed discovered masonry from the 4th century and proven that also in the 9th century a Carolingian prayer house must have existed here. The building of the choir of the present Basilica was started in 1240. Nave, transepts and side chapels were added between the 13th and 15th century. The original romanesque tower was replaced by the present gothic tower from 1442 until 1541.

One of the most famous treasures in the Basilica is the statue of Our Lady of Tongeren, made in 1475. The treasury of the Basilica is housed in the former hall of the Chapter and comprises one of the richest collections of religious art in Belgium. Artifacts of immeasurable value, ranging from the Merovingian era until the 19th century are on display : statues, reliquaries, ivory, etc...
Behind the Basilica is the Convent, with its beautiful and tranquile corridors.

• Location information
• coin available in the tourist office and the cathedral www.tongeren.be www.basiliektongeren.be

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkathedraal

The Our Lady’s Cathedral of Antwerp reconciles ‘being’ with ‘becoming’. For five centuries, its north tower, which points toward God like a finger, has dominated the silhouette of Antwerp without changing. But during that same period, the Cathedral was repaired and refurnished repeatedly. It assembles the various styles of the times - gothic, renaissance, baroque, rococo, and so on - without ever taking on a definitive form.

Some facts and figures:

• The north tower of the Our Lady’s Cathedral is 123 meters high, the south tower 65,30 meters, the central aisle 28 meters and the lantern- or crossing-tower where the nave and transepts meet 43 meters.
• On the interior, the Cathedral is 118 meters long. At the crossing, it is 67 meters wide. The maximum breadth of the nave is 53.50 meters.
• In the time of the guilds and trade associations, each of which had its own altar, there were 57 permanent altars distributed throughout the Cathedral.
• The Cathedral has a carillon with 49 bells at its disposal.

• Location information
• www.dekathedraal.be

Openluchtmuseum Bokrijk

The domain of Bokrijk is some 550 hectare large and consist of woods, gardens, farmland and ponds. Most of all, the Bokrijk Open Air Museum is known for its magnificent collection of old Flemish houses and farms. A large part of the Flemish countryside must have look like this around 1850.
Visitors can walk through the entire park and admire the cottages and farms of the different Flemish provinces : East and West Flanders, The Campine region, Brabant, and of course Limburg. Since a few years, also a small old city can be admired, with a cafe in a cellar included. In some of the houses local people portray the old professions of way back when (farmers, barbers, shoemakers, basketry makers, and so on...). In some of the farms restaurants have been installed, so that the visit can be combined with a good healthy traditional Flemish dish.

• Location information
• www.bokrijk.be

P.P. Rubens 1577 - 1610

The Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens is considered the most important artist of the 17th century, whose style became an international definition of the animated, exuberantly sensuous aspects of baroque painting. In 1577 Peter Paul was born in exile at Siegen, Westphalia. After his father's death in 1587, the family moved to Antwerp, where they again became Catholics. After studying the classics in a Latin school and serving as a court page, Peter Paul decided to become a painter.

In 1598, at the age of 21, he was accorded the rank of master painter of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke. In 1600 he arrived in Venice, where he fell under the spell of the radiant color and majestic forms of Titian, whose work had a formative influence on Rubens's mature style. Later, while resident in Rome, he was influenced by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as by ancient Greco-Roman sculpture. During Rubens's 8 years (1600-08) as court painter to the duke of Mantua, he assimilated the lessons of the other Italian Renaissance masters and made a journey to Spain that had a profound impact on the development of Spanish baroque art. During the final decade of his life, Rubens turned more and more to portraits, genre scenes, and landscapes.

• Location information
• museum.antwerpen.be

Panorama 1

This coin gives you an overview of some of the hotspots in Belgium:

• the Atomium - Brussels
• the Brabo statue - Antwerp
• the Our Lady's Cathedral - Antwerp
• the Gravensteen - Ghent
• the Belfort - Bruges
• Manneken Pis - Brussels
• the Cathedral of St.-Micheal and St.-Gudula - Brussels

Panorama 2

This coin gives you an overview of some of the hotspots in Belgium:

• the lion of Waterloo
• the Brabo statue - Antwerp
• the Our Lady's Cathedral - Antwerp
• the Gravensteen - Ghent
• the Belfort - Bruges
• Manneken Pis - Brussels
• the Cathedral of St.-Micheal and St.-Gudula - Brussels

Paradisio

Paradisio is a nature park laid out like a theme park, with lots of highly developed self-contained displays. For example, there is an aquarium made to resemble Captain Nemos submarine The Nautilus, and there is a giant birdcage 100 meters long and 30 meters wide. Other attractions include Madidi, the Island of the Monkeys; Nosy Komba, home to a group of lemurs from Madagascar; and the fabulous Paradisio gardens.
The Abbey of Cambron and a palatial mansion have been adapted for use as part of the park. The Abbeys ponds, originally dug by monks to serve as fish reserves, now host swans, geese, ducks, hens of water, pink flamingos and pelicans; a bat colony lives in the abbeys underground chambers. The mansion contains the Nautilus.

• Location information
• www.paradisio.be

Parc Paradisio - Royaume de Ganesha

The “kingdom of Ganesha”, the first and the largest Indonesian garden of Europe, will be inaugurated during the 2009 season.
This fabulous authentic garden of almost 4 hectares will become the kingdom of the elephants, the buffaloes and the macaques. The scenery includes an impressive temple, surmounted rice plantations in terraces, and exuberant and fragrant flowers and bushes.
All of that will be surrounded by the mysterious atmosphere of the Hindu god Ganesha, one of the best-known and most widely worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify.

• Location information
• www.paradisio.be

Plopsa Coo

Plopsaland are children's theme parks owned by Studio 100, a Flemish company that produces popular children's television series and music bands.
- Plopsaland De Panne is an outdoor amusement park near the Belgian coast.
- Plopsaland Indoor is an indoor amusement park in Hasselt.
- Plopsa Coo is an outdoor amusement park near Coo in Wallonia.

These amusement parks are a magnet for kids and their families, and a perfect place to go while on holidays for the best of the best in amusement.

The attractions all have a theme from one of Studio 100's soaps or musicbands, such as Kabouter Plop, Samson & Gert, Big & Betsy, Piet Piraat, Wizzy & Woppy, Spring and K3.

• Location information
• www.plopsa.be

Plopsa Hasselt

Plopsaland are children's theme parks owned by Studio 100, a Flemish company that produces popular children's television series and music bands.
- Plopsaland De Panne is an outdoor amusement park near the Belgian coast.
- Plopsaland Indoor is an indoor amusement park in Hasselt.
- Plopsa Coo is an outdoor amusement park near Coo in Wallonia.

These amusement parks are a magnet for kids and their families, and a perfect place to go while on holidays for the best of the best in amusement.

The attractions all have a theme from one of Studio 100's soaps or musicbands, such as Kabouter Plop, Samson & Gert, Big & Betsy, Piet Piraat, Wizzy & Woppy, Spring and K3.

• Location information
• www.plopsa.be

Plopsaland De Panne

Plopsaland are children's theme parks owned by Studio 100, a Flemish company that produces popular children's television series and music bands.
- Plopsaland De Panne is an outdoor amusement park near the Belgian coast.
- Plopsaland Indoor is an indoor amusement park in Hasselt.
- Plopsa Coo is an outdoor amusement park near Coo in Wallonia.
These amusement parks are a magnet for kids and their families, and a perfect place to go while on holidays for the best of the best in amusement.
The attractions all have a theme from one of Studio 100's soaps or musicbands, such as Kabouter Plop, Samson & Gert, Big & Betsy, Piet Piraat, Wizzy & Woppy, Spring and K3.

• Location information
• www.plopsa.be

Rubenshuis

In a side-street (named 'Wapper') of the Meir avenue stands the former house of Peter Paul Rubens, the greatest and most famous of all the Antwerp painters. Rubens bought an existing 16th century house there, after he had returned from his stay in Italy (1600-1608). He lived in the house from 1616 onwards and died there in 1640.
It now houses the 'Rubens House -Museum'. Nowadays visitors should be aware that they don't visit a house as it was left behind by its most famous inhabitant, but rather a reconstruction of what it must have looked like in the first half of the 17th century. The collection of paintings by Rubens himself and by some of his contemporaries alone already make it worth to visit, during which one can stroll through the reconstructed garden, visit the work shop of Rubens and his private quarters.

• Location information
• museum.antwerpen.be

Seafront

Seafront is a maritime theme park, extending over more than 20.000 square meters on and around the old fish market of Zeebruges. It consists of a permanent interactive exhibition centered around the history of the North Sea and Bruges, the origin and the evolution of the new seaport, fisheries from 1920 until now and much more. People can also visit a real lightship and an authentic Russian submarine.
Seafront is mainly known for its authentic Russian submarine, which is open for the public. In this steel colossus of 100 meters long visitors can experience how the 75 crew members lived and worked for months on end.

• Location information
• www.seafront.be

Shopping Stadsfeestzaal

The Stadsfeestzaal is a neoclassical building dating from 1908. It was built according to plans made by city architect Alexis Van Mechelen on request of the municipality. It is situated on the Meir, the main shopping street in Antwerp. Another entrance is located at Hopland. Along the Meir there always have been retail spaces and apartments. Through a gate they had access to the rear hall. The hall has long been one of the most famous rooms in Antwerp.  There were art exhibitions, Antwerp Antiques Fair, the Book Fair, Motor Shows and various celebrations. In 1983 the building was classified as a protected monument. On the night of 27 to 28 September 2000 a heavy fire destroyed almost the entire building.

In 2004 the city signed an agreement with a developer to rebuild the hall. That same year works began. On October 25, 2007 the completely renovated Stadsfeestzaal opened again for the public, this time as a luxury shopping center. The glass dome with gold leaf, the staircase, the original decorations, sculptures, mosaics, wall reliefs and oak parquet floors are original. The marble in the main hall comes from the same quarry as it was originally placed in the marble hall.

• Location information
• www.stadsfeestzaal.be

Sincfala museum

Sincfala is the old name for ‘het Zwin’.The Sincfala Museum has its residence in an old school building where tackers and fishers were taught during a certain period. That's why an old fishing class room had been reconstructed in the museum.
Next to an overview of a few important aspects of the Zwin region, you learn a lot about ancient fishing life, at the waterside as well as at sea. It exhibits objects that are related to its folklore, fishing history and archaeology.

• Location information
• www.sincfala.be

Sint Michiels en Goedele kathedraal

This church is to be found at the Treurenberg hill on the edge between lower and upper town. Already at the beginning of the 11th century a church was situated here. In 1047 the Duke of Brabant, Lambert II, had the relics of Saint Gudula transferred from the Saint Gorik church in downtown Brussels to the new church at the Treurenberg hill. From that moment on the Saint Gudula and Saint Michael church took the lead over all the other churches in Brussels.
Because of its growing importance, the first St. Gudula church originally built in Romanesque style was transformed in gothic style as from the 13th century. Today, the foundations of the first church can still be seen under the crypt of the gothic cathedral

• Location information
• Coin available at the entrance of the cathedral. www.cathedralestmichel.be

Stadhuis

Bruges Town Hall dates from 1376 and is one of the oldest in the Low Countries. The Gothic Chamber with its magnificent 19th century frescos and its polychrome vault is a work of art in its own right. The painted figures illustrate the city’s glorious past.
However, the Town Hall is also the place from which Bruges has been governed for more than 700 years. The reorganisation scheduled for 2005 will provide an opportunity to tell the story of the Town Council and its relations with both ‘ higher authorities’ and the local people.

• Location information
• www.brugge.be

Stadhuis en Kerk Bilzen

The old town hall, a jewel of Maaslandse style, was built in 1686 by architect Derrick Lambert from Hoei. The building also testifies today in the rich tradition of the city: a facade with double staircase, a limestone facade in Maasland.
In 1998 the interior was completely reviewed and adapted to modern needs. A beautiful piece of architecture!
In the hall you will find the tourist information office

• Location information
• www.bilzen.be

Train City

Train City opened its doors on the renovated Pier, a building work which is an attraction in itself, in summer 2003. Inside all the facets of the exciting world of the train were revealed across five different levels (from below the water level to an elevated terrace). Train City contained a dynamic cinema, an exhibition area, a living museum, a cosy cafeteria, etc.
>Unfortunately, Train City was already closed at the end of 2004.

Vlaams Mijnmuseum

The history of the coal extraction as it was comes to life in the mine museum. The museum includes among others a collection of old mining material, geological material and an "underground" imitation workshop. The museum gives information about the discovery of coal, the first drillings and the security in the underground. Several mine pillars have been reconstructed in the cellar. This way the visitor gets an insight in the world of mining.

• Location information
• www.geocities.com/vlaamsmijnmuseum

Vlaamse Primitieven

Early Netherlandish painting is a term art historians use to designate a group of painters who were active primarily in the Southern Netherlands in the 15th and early 16th centuries. These painters are also known as the Flemish Primitives, not because their art lacked sophistication (quite to the contrary), but because they were at the origin of a whole new tradition in painting.
Chief among them were:

• Jan van Eyck
• Rogier van der Weyden
• Hugo van der Goes
• Hans Memling
• Petrus Christus
• Robert Campin
• Dirk Bouts
• Gerard David

• Location information
• www.brugge.be

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.

In Lommel is the largest military cemetery of the second world war situated. The cemetery is located in a well-maintained 12,95 hectares park, 20.000 crosses were erected for 40.000 fallen German soldiers.
In front of the graves heather plants grow, which give the area a purple emanation in the flowering time. The cemetery contains also a building with overnight facilities and information room, a monumental tomb and above it, a gigantic statue in black lava rock form the entrance to the graveyard.

Zimmertoren

At the southern end of the Zimmerplein stands the Zimmer tower (also known as the "Cornelius tower"), which was originally part of the 14th century city wall. The tower houses since 1930 the Jubilee clock, made by the Lier clockmaker Louis Zimmer (1888-1970).

The clock displays 13 faces on which can be seen : the official Greenwich Mean Time, the lunar cycle, the signs of the zodiac, the solar cycle, the 7 days of the week, the globe with the meridians, the 12 months, de eternal dates, the seasons, the tidal waves in Lier, the age and the phases of the moon.

In the tower one can visit the astronomic studio with the planetarium that holds 57 astronomic clock faces and admire the cogwheels of the clock. Beside the tower, in the Zimmer pavilion, the astronomic clock is displayed since 1960. This clock is a wonderful example of technicality and preciseness and was admired at the New York World Fair in 1939.

• Location information
• www.zimmertoren.com

Zoo

The Antwerp Zoo is located in the centre of Antwerp, right next to the Antwerpen-Centraal railway station. It is the oldest animal park in the country, established on July 21, 1843.

The zoo houses over 4000 animals and offers lots of 19th century design and architecture in addition. In 2007 the Antwerp Zoo won a prize as the 'most romantic and best preserved 19th century zoo', because of the beautiful garden and old architecture, such as the Egyptian temple (1856) and the antelope building (1861) in Oriental style, which now houses the okapis.

Since its foundation, the park is controlled by the Royal Society for Zoology. After World War II, the animal park was turned into a model zoo which conformed to new and modern standards. Throughout the years it has encouraged wildlife preservation through activities and exhibits on a recreational, educational, scientific and cultural level.

In 2009 the zoo started a big media campain to give attention to the pregnant elephant Khaing Pyo Pyo. Then, on May 17, the first ever Belgium baby elephant, a female named Kai-Mook, was born.

• Location information
• www.baby-olifant.be
  www.zooantwerpen.be