MONOCLE

287 results for Belgium

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Article

Inside scoop

15 November 2018

Belgium might be small but its design industry is punching well above its weight, as evidenced in its biennale.

Travel

As the host of the European Union institutions (and the Nato headquarters), “Brussels” has become shorthand for the EU. But there’s much more to the Belgian capital than politics. It has plenty to offer visitors in town for…

Travel

Brussels + Antwerp

Brussels may be the heart of the EU but unassuming Antwerp, an hour away by train, has long been one of Europe’s most prosperous ports. For this guide we’ve toured both destinations and found plenty of gems throughout, from…

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Article

Building society

16 November 2017

A former construction yard has been brought back to life by businesses that are working together to grow – quite literally.

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Article

Field work

25 March 2021

With its wide-open spaces and commerce-friendly buzz, the Westhoek region is proving that rural spots can be business hubs too. Welcome to the real remote working.

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Article

State of the nation: Belgium

17 January 2019

Hosting the institutions of the EU can be a double-edged sword. But Belgium’s unique federation has plenty to offer on the world stage through its liberal and energetic approach to diplomacy, plus growing influence in the…

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Article

Battle of Flanders

17 September 2007

Belgium may be a small country of just 10.5 million people but it’s home to a powerful media empire that understands its market’s every desire. Monocle meets its co-owner and CEO Christian Van Thillo, who took the helm…

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Article

Flights of fancy

18 August 2022

Dries Van Noten made his name as part of the ‘Antwerp Six’, a grouping that put Belgian designers on the map in the 1980s. Now he’s thinking big again after selling a stake in his business to Puig. Here he tells Monocle…

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Article

Flemish flair

21 April 2011

Monocle samples the Belgian city’s top food and drink haunts with a renowned local wine expert.

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Article

Straat wise

17 October 2008

Antwerp scores highest in the ‘most attractive and interesting city in Belgium’ category. Maybe it has something to do with the dock-lined River Scheldt that gives towering container ships access to the Port of Antwerp –…

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Article

Saint-Gilles

23 May 2013

With its beautiful, spacious art nouveau houses and cosmopolitan feel, Saint-Gilles is proving a draw for those looking for fresh pastures.

Radio

The Foreign Desk - Can Belgium survive?

10 October 2020

After nearly 500 days of negotiations, Belgium finally has a national government. It consists of seven parties but excludes the two biggest – both Flemish nationalist parties. Is Belgium’s complex political system workable…

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Article

On a roll

17 February 2011

Atelier Charles Schambourg weaves Toile de Cuir leather and was founded by a former secret-service agent who saw an exquisite business opportunity.

Film

Belgium: state of the nation

8 February 2019

With its liberal and energetic approach to diplomacy, and a growing influence in art and sport, Belgium has plenty to offer on the world stage.

Film

Brussels + Antwerp: The Monocle Travel Guide

23 October 2019

Belgium had no fashion history until six young designers put their country at the centre of that world in the late 1980s. To celebrate our latest travel guide, we travel to Antwerp to see how the fashion scene has matured…

Radio

The Foreign Desk - Explainer 8: Belgium’s identity crisis

24 March 2016

In the wake of this week’s terrorist attacks in Brussels, now more than ever Belgium needs to develop a sense of national identity. But with 11 million people, six governments, three regions and three languages, what can…