VISIT TO EUROPE - BELGIUM - BRUSSELS - I

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY
C/O COL GKS REDDY

Secunderabad - 500015

Visit Belgium (20 Sep - 22 Sep 2013)


Belgium

          Belgium (i/ˈbɛldʒəm/; Dutch: België; French: Belgique; German: Belgien), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal monarchy inWestern Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters as well as those of several other major international organisations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres (11,787 sq mi), and it has a population of about 11 million people.

          Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch-speakers (about 59%), mostly Flemish, and the French-speakers (about 41%), mostly Walloons, in addition to a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region. A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.

          Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries, which used to cover a somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states. The region was called Belgica in Latin because of the Roman province Gallia Belgica which covered more or less the same area. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, it was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830, when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands, many battles between European powers were fought in the area of Belgium, causing it to be dubbed the "Battlefield of Europe,"[10] a reputation strengthened by both World Wars.

          Upon its independence, Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution and, during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number ofcolonies in Africa.] The second half of the 20th century was marked by the rise of contrasts between the Flemish and the Francophones fuelled by differences of language and the unequal economic development of Flanders and Wallonia. This continuing antagonism has caused far-reaching reforms, changing the formerly unitary Belgian state into a federal state, and several governmental crises, the most recent, from 2007 to 2011, being the longest.

          After four days tour of Paris FROM 07 Sep to 10 Sep 2013, we thought it would be better to combine the tour of 2 or 3 European countries, to save time and travel expenses, hence we planned a combined tour of 10 days duration to Belgium, Holland and Switzerland from 20 Sep to 29 Sep 2013.

          We started from St Francas International Railway Station by Eurostar at 0730 h on 20 Sep 2013 and reached Brusseles Midi / Zuid International Railway Station at 1100 h. From Brusseles International Zuid, Station we shifted to the Domestic Section and took a train to Bruges (Local name - Brugge), which was about one hour Journey. Reached Bruges at 1215 h. We reached back to Brussels on 21 Sep 2013 night at 2200h, after having visited Bruges and Flanders Battle Fields. We checked into Novotel Hotel, near Brussels Central Railway Station

On Arrival at Brusseles International Zuid Railway Station

Visit Brussels - 22 Sep 2013

Brussels

          Brussels (French: Bruxelles, [bʁysɛl] ( listen); Dutch: Brussel, [ˈbrʏsəɫ] ( listen)), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest), is the capital of Belgium and de facto the capital of the European Union (EU). It is also the largest urban area in Belgium, comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which is the de jurecapital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community. 

          Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne to a sizeable city.[10] The city has a population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan area with a population of over 1.8 million, both of them the largest in Belgium. 

          Since the end of theSecond World War, Brussels has been a principal centre for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. 

          Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels has seen a major shift to French since Belgian independence in 1830. Today, although the majority language is French, the city is officially bilingual. All road signs, street names, and many advertisements and services are shown in both languages. Linguistic tensions remain and the language laws regarding some municipalities surrounding Brussels are an issue of considerable controversy in Belgium.

Atonium - Brussels

          The Atomium is an iconic building in Brussels originally constructed for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak,[1] it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.

          Tubes connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre. They enclose escalators and a lift to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels. CNN named it Europe's most bizarre building.

A view of Atonium - Brussels

A closer view of Atonium - Brussels

My Daughter Sirisha Reddy in front of Atonium

A Panoramic view of Brussels from the Top Sphere of the Atonium. 

The view is not very clear, as the weather was cloudy.

Another Panoramic view of Brussels from the Top Sphere

Another Full View of Atonium from the Rear (From Mini Europe side)

National Basilica van Koekelberg – Brussels

          This church is the fifth largest church in the world. The construction of the church started in 1905 under the governance of King Leopold II, but could not be completed on time due to the two World Wars. The construction was put on hold for some time and it was in the year 1970 that the church finally was inaugurated. This huge structure is about 100 feet tall and is made from bricks and terracotta. At the entrance there are two towers on each side. With its towering height of 89 meters and width of 167 meters, it is no wonder that it is the largest building in Art Deco style of architecture. The construction of this church is simply marvellous.

A view of National Basilica van Koekelberg – Brussels taken from the open Top City Tour Bus

Another view of the Basilica church

Da Vinci Expo From 22 Mar to 27 Oct 13 in Brussels Stock Exchange.

          Brussels receives the traveling exhibition of Da Vinci - The Genius. This exhibition shows the works of Leonardo da Vinci and already attracted more than 4 million visitors in 45 cities worldwide.

          Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) was an inventor, artist, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician, architect, philosopher, but above all a man of genius, a visionary. The Da Vinci - The Genius exhibition highlights his talent and inventions on the basis of more than 200 fascinating works and objects, designed or invented by Leonardo da Vinci:

Leonardo Da Ninci Exhibition at Brussels Stock Exchange

Church of Saint Jean Baptiste

          The Church of Saint Jean Baptiste (St. John the Baptist) is a lovely church tucked away in a quiet part of Brussels. The church is an excellent representation of the French-Baroque style of the 17th century and contains a lot of Italian influence in the church facades. The church was designed by Luc Fayd'herbe, who was a student of Rubens. Heads of winged angels decorate the arch junctions above the large arcades. The interior contains an ornate pulpit as well as a collection of paintings by Van Loon, a noted 17th century Brussels painter. Baroque ornamentation also dots the interior of the church. For hundreds of year, the Beguine convent stood near the church, but it was removed in the 19th century. During the Beguine’s most robust years, it held up to 1,200 nuns. In 2001, a fire struck the church and caused damage; however the church has been carefully restored. The church provides services in both Dutch and French and is open Monday to Saturday for visitors. 

A view of St Jean Baptiste Church taken from the Open Top City Tour Bus

A view of one of the Canals in Brussels

A typical view of Buildings in Brussels Streets

European Parliament's Espace Léopold complex

          The Espace Léopold (French, commonly used in English) or  Leopoldruimte (help·info) (Dutch) is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels (Belgium) housing the European Parliament, a legislative chamber of the European Union (EU).

          It consists of a number of buildings, primarily the oldest, the Paul-Henri Spaak building, which houses the debating chamber and the President's offices, and the Altiero Spinelli building which is the largest. The buildings are located in the European quarter in the east of Brussels, with building starting in 1989.

          The complex is not the official seat of Parliament, which is the Immeuble Louise Weiss in Strasbourg, France, but as most of the other institutions of the European Union are in Brussels, Parliament built the Brussels complex to be closer to their activities. A majority of the Parliament's work is now geared to its Brussels site, but it is legally bound to keep Strasbourg as its official home.

European Parliament Information Centre Building Brussels

Alteiro Spinelli Building in the European Parliament Complex Brussels

A closeup of Alteiro Spinelli Building - European Parliament Complex

The Corridor through Alteiro Spinelli Building leading to the other buildings in the Rear

Another Building to the Rear of Alteiro Spinelli Building in the European Parliament Complex

European Parliament Building in the Parliament Complex

Parlamentarium

          The Parlamentarium is the visitors' centre of the European Parliament. Located in the Parliament's Espace Léopold complex in Brussels, it was officially inaugurated on 14 October 2011 by President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek. 

Parlamentarium in the European Parliament Complex

A street in the European Quarter of Brussels City (Near European Parliament Complex)

The European Council

          The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs, currently Catherine Ashton, takes part in its meetings.

          While the European Council has no formal legislative power, it is charged under the Treaty of Lisbon[2] with defining "the general political directions and priorities" of the Union. It is thus the Union's strategic (and crisis solving) body, acting as the collective presidency of the EU.

          The meetings of the European Council, commonly referred to as EU summits, are chaired by its president and take place at least twice every six months; usually in the Justus Lipsius building, the headquarters of the Council of the European Union in Brussels.

          The European Council was established as an informal body in 1975; it became an official EU institution in 2009 when the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force.

The Headquarters of European Council, Located at Schuman Roundabout on West Street Brussels, about 2 KMs from the European Parliament Complex

European Commission

          The European Commission (EC) is the executive body of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and day-to-day running of the EU.

          The Commission operates as a cabinet government, with 28 members of the Commission (informally known as "commissioners". There is one member per member state, though members are bound to represent the interests of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. One of the 28 is the Commission President (currently José Manuel Durão Barroso) proposed by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament. The Council then appoints the other 27 members of the Commission in agreement with the nominated President, and then the 28 members as a single body are subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. The first Barroso Commission took office in late 2004 and its successor, under the same President, took office in 2010.

          The term "Commission" is used either in the narrow sense of the 28-member College of Commissioners (or College) or to also include the administrative body of about 23,000 European civil servants who are split into departments called Directorates-General and Services.[6] The usual procedural languages of the Commission are English, French and German. [7] The Members of the Commission and their "cabinets" (immediate teams) are based in the Berlaymont building of Brussels.

Berlaymont Building, the Headquarters of European Commission, located opposite to 

European Council in Schuman Roundabout, West Street

Another view of Berlaymont Building from across the Schuman Roundabout

The European Commission and Council Information Office at Schuman Roundabout

One of the New Building in Schuman Roundabout, in the Old Architecture Style

The Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule


          This church is situated on the Treurenberg hill at the border dividing the lower and upper town. At the beginning of the 11th century a church existed in the same place where The Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule stand today. In 1047 the Duke of Brabant, Lambert II, had the relics of Saint Gudula, passed on from the Saint Gorik church in downtown Brussels to the new church at the Treurenberg hill. This was the defining moment for the Saint Gudula and Saint Michael church to take the prime position over all the other churches in Brussels. Initially built in Romanesque style, the church was later styled in Gothic architecture, because of its growing significance. Jean II, the Duke of Brabant, the archdukes Albert, Isabelle and Charles de Lorraine are buried in the chancel. 

The Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule taken from the Open Top City Tour Bus

The Royal Palace of Brussels

          The Royal Palace of Brussels (Dutch: Koninklijk Paleis van Brussel [ˈkoː.nɪŋk.ˌlək pɐ.ˈlɛi̯s vɐn ˈbrʏ.səl], French: Palais Royal de Bruxelles,German: Königlicher Palast von Brüssel) is the official palace of the King and Queen of the Belgians in the centre of the nation's capitalBrussels. However it is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in the Royal Castle of Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels

          The palace is situated in front of Brussels Park. A long square called the Paleizenplein/Place des Palais separates the palace from the park. The middle axis of the park marks both the middle peristyle of the palace and the middle of the facing building on the other side of the park, which is the Palace of the Nation (the Belgian Federal Parliament building). The two facing buildings are said to symbolize Belgium's system of government: a constitutional monarchy.

A view of the Royal Palace Brussels

The Main Entry Gate of Royal Palace Brussels

Another view of Main Entry Gate of Royal Palace

A closer view of the Main Entry Gate

The Public Enjoying a Picnic on the Lawn in front of the Royal Palace

A Closer view of the Royal Palace

The Entry Gate to Royal Park from the Palace Lawns

A Fountain in the Royal Park, near the Belgian Parliament

Belgian Parliament Building

          The Brussels Parliament building largely dates back to the early twentieth century, although it has had modern renovations and some wings date back to the seventeenth century. It is neoclassical buildings located on rue de Lombard straat and houses the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region. 

The Belgian Parliament Building from across the Street

A closer view of the Parliament Building

A Full View of the Parliament Building from inside the Royal Park, through 

the Royal Park Entry gate, seen in front the Parliament Building

Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia       

VISIT TO EUROPE - BELGIUM - FLANDERS BATTLE FIELDS - III

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY
C/O COL GKS REDDY

Secunderabad - 500015


Visit Belgium

          Belgium (i/ˈbɛldʒəm/; Dutch: België; French: Belgique; German: Belgien), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal monarchy inWestern Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters as well as those of several other major international organisations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres (11,787 sq mi), and it has a population of about 11 million people.

          Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch-speakers (about 59%), mostly Flemish, and the French-speakers (about 41%), mostly Walloons, in addition to a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region. A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.

          Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries, which used to cover a somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states. The region was called Belgica in Latin because of the Roman province Gallia Belgica which covered more or less the same area. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, it was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830, when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands, many battles between European powers were fought in the area of Belgium, causing it to be dubbed the "Battlefield of Europe,"[10] a reputation strengthened by both World Wars.

          Upon its independence, Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution and, during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number ofcolonies in Africa.] The second half of the 20th century was marked by the rise of contrasts between the Flemish and the Francophones fuelled by differences of language and the unequal economic development of Flanders and Wallonia. This continuing antagonism has caused far-reaching reforms, changing the formerly unitary Belgian state into a federal state, and several governmental crises, the most recent, from 2007 to 2011, being the longest.

Visit to Flanders Battle Fields

          Being a Student of Military History and an Infantry Officer of Indian Army, I decided to utilise the opportunity to visit the Famous World War I (The Great War) Battle Fields of Ypres Salient in the West Flanders Region of Belgium, which had witnessed some of the fiercest Battles of the Great War on the Western Front right through the war from 1914 - 1918. The Ypres is about 50 Miles from the Bruges Town, towards the North Sea coast. We selected Quasimodo Travels for the Tour, as we heard that it was one of the best Tour operators in Bruges, run by a Wife and Husband Duo, both of whom are well read and well qualified Guides, who take personal care of each tourist, by restricting the Number of Tourists to 15 or 16. And we never regretted our decision at the end of the Tour.

Quasimodo Travels Vehicle. They use Mini Bus, so as to be able to pay personal 

attention to each and every member of the Tour

Strategy of opposing Forces at Ypres

          The strategy of both the Allied and German armies is not entirely clear. The accepted and mainstream reasoning for the Ypres battle was the British desire to secure the English Channel ports and the British Army's supply lines; Ypres was the last major obstacle to the German advance on Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais. The French strategy revolved around a desire to prevent German forces from outflanking the Allied front from the north. This was the last major German option, after their defeats at the First Battle of the Aisne and First Battle of the Marne. The Ypres campaign became the culmination point of the Race to the Sea. The opposing armies both engaged in offensive operations until the major German offensive occurred in mid-October, which forced the Allies onto the strategic defensive and limited to counter-attacks.

The Battles of Ypres and the Aftermath

          Five Major Offensives took place in the Ypres salient from Oct 1914 to Oct 1918, resulting in Total Allied casualties of 5,80,524 Killed, wounded or missing and German casualties of 4,82,509, thus combined casualties of more than a million ( about 10,63,033 men killed, wounded or missing as per figures available from various sources).

         The fighting for Ypres Salient was so intense, that just in the Third Battle of Ypres (Also Known as "The Battle of Passchendaele) fought from 18 Jul 1917 to 06 Nov 1917, the Allies suffered 2, 44,897 Casualties including 78000 dead and the Germans suffered 2, 17,194 casualties ( A combined total of 4, 62, 000 casualties) as both sides were determined to achieve their respective aims at any cost. The entire Ypres Salient is littered with War Cemeteries and Memorials. 


Post Lunch break, after visiting Hooge Crater, Hill 60, Menin Gate Memorial and Indian War Memorial, we had half an hour tea break and went into Ypres Town.


Ypres Town

          Ypres (/ˈiːprə/; French pronunciation: ​[ipʁ]; Dutch: Ieper, pronounced [ˈipər]) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, the city's French name Ypres is most commonly used in English due to its role in World War I, when only French was in official use in Belgian documents, including on maps. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they are home to some 34,900 inhabitants. 

During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces. During the war, because it was hard to pronounce in English, British troops nicknamed the city "Wipers". 

A view of Market Square, Ypres. The Tower on the left is the Town hall and the Tower in the Centre is St Martin's Chapel 

The Front View of St Martin's Chapel, Ypres

A combined view of the Entrance and the Tower of St Martin's chapel, Ypres

The Town Hall of Ypres

The Former Cloth Hall of Ypres Town, which has now been converted to 

The Flanders Fields Museum

Another view of the Flanders Fields Museum

The Building in the background is the Court of Justice, also located in the Market square. 

To its Right, through the gap is seen the Menin Gate Memorial

The famous Belgian Chocolates on display in a shop in the Market Square

Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out

          The war is still ever-present in the Ypres area. Not only in the landscape, with its hundreds of cemeteries, monuments and relics, but also underground. An exemple is the Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out some 4 km from Ypres centre.

          This underground war Relic can still be found at a depth of 60 to 70 cm. This is something the local population quickly learned, when from 1997 onwards a new industrial site was developed along the Ieper-Yzer canal. Numerous vestiges of the war were soon discovered: unexploded ammunition, constructions, human remains,... 

          Since then, the bodies of some 205 soldiers of three different nationalities have been recovered. The city acquired a small plot of land, for the creation of a memorial site by the In Flanders Fields Museum. This plot marks the location of ‘Yorkshire Trench' originally dug by the British in 1915. In close consultation with the archaeological team, the trench was restored along its original route, including the entrance and exit of a deep dug-out from 1917.

A view of the Restored yorkshire Trench and Dugout. The White Markers on top indicate the alignment of Trenches for movement inside the Dug - Out.

The Entrance of the Communication Trench, leading into the Dug - Out

The Main Entrance of the Dug - Out. Could not go in and Inspect the Dug - Out, 

as it is fully Flooded

The Observation and Firing Ports, just behind the Entrance, to Protect the Dug - Out 

from Enemy Raids and Surprise Attacks

A Plaque Displayed at the Site, indicating the Layout and the Write up about the Dug - Out

Close ups of other Information Displayed at the Dug - Out Site

Essex Farm Advance Dressing Station

          During the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 a basic medical “station” for British Army casualties was first established in rough dugouts cut into the western bank of the Ypres-Yser canal at the rear of what is now Essex Farm cemetery.

          As the war continued in this sector the original crude dugouts in the canal bank were extended and reinforced with concrete. They gradually developed into a series of rooms and a larger medical station was built up with huts to cope with larger numbers of wounded. The location became established as an Advanced Dressing Station (A.D.S.). 

            Near to this concrete Station is a memorial to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae who wrote the poem “In Flanders Field the poppies blow” on May 3rd 1915. McCrae was a Canadian doctor who worked at Essex Farm. He wrote the poem after the death of a colleague called Lieutenant Alex Helmer who was killed as a result of a direct hit by an artillery shell. McCrae was moved by the last words in Helmer’s diary, which read that he believed that the action in and around Essex Farm had died down slightly and that, as a result, he was looking forward to a better night’s sleep.

The Essex Farm Advance Dressing Station. A Concrete Bunker with a Row of Patient Bays

The Advance Dressing Station Bunker as seen from the Essex Farm Road

Outside one of the Patient Bays of the Advance Dressing Station

Inside view of one of the Patient Bays of the ADS Bunker

A Memorial near the ADS Bunker to Lt Col John Mc Crae, A Doctor and a Poet, who volunteered for enrollment into Fighting Branches of the Canadian Army, when the War Broke out. He was Commissioned into Corps of Royal Canadian Artillery. But he worked as a Doctor at Essex Farm ADS, due to inflow of Very Heavy Casualties  

Essex Farm War Cemetery

          The Essex Farm Cemetery is a few miles out of the centre of Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, the man who also designed the nearby Menin Gate in Ypres. There are 1,199 burials at the cemetery though there are 1,185 graves in it including that of Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick of the 8th Battalion the Rifle Brigade who died on January 14th 1916 aged 15 – one of the youngest fatalities in the British Army in World War One. 

          Essex Farm Cemetery also includes headstones grouped together for men who are known to be buried in the cemetery but no one is sure where. The large majority of those buried at Essex Farm were named as they would have been known to the men who worked in the makeshift 'medical centre' there. Unlike many World War One cemeteries, there are few graves (just 102), which are marked ‘Known unto God’ or ‘A Soldier of the Great War’ – the standard way of marking the grave of someone whose name was not known.

The Memorial at Essex Farm Cemetery

A close up of the Inscription on the Essex Farm Cemetery Memorial

Graves in the Essex Farm Cemetery. Most of the Graves are of the Injured Treated at the ADS 

and who did not survive till Rearward Evacuation

The Grave of Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick of the 8th Battalion the Rifle Brigade, 

the Youngest Casualty of World War I, who was killed at the age of 15 Years

A Memorial to the Men of British West Riding Division, near Essex Farm Cemetery, 

which fought in this area from 1915 to 1918

A close up of the Inscription on British West Riding Division Memorial

Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia