Flanders

Előszó

Flanders, the northern, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, with nearly 5.8 millión inhabitants occupying an area of 13,512 square kilometres, i.e. 428 per square kilometre, is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The region has a turbulent history, its pattern betraying a succession of influences - French, Spanish, Austrian and other. How these influences have marked the Flemings' character is not immediately clear. They are said to be stay-at-home, devoted to their native soil, but at the same time their talent for multilingualism stamps them as receptive to other cultures. Diversity is the salient feature of the Flemish landscape. Between and around majestic towns with solidly built town halls and imposing cathedrals lie charming, sleepy villages with the church neighboured by a café which probably bears the name of 'Sportwereld' (World of Sport) and is used as a 'locaV by a cycling club, a football team, a pigeon-fanciers' society and a brass band. In the course of this century, however, Flanders has shed its largely agricultural image for good and all. Since the end of World War II it has developed into a modern, markedly export-oriented industrial region. Flanders has become a link in the world economy, albeit at the expense of somé of its unruffled calm and natural beauty. Even so, Flanders is still more than deserving of a visit. The word most frequently found as typifying it in the literature on the region is (picturesque\ In this book, therefore, you will not come across that word again. For a century, though, Flanders has alsó been worthy of the description (photogenic\ And just as a painting can shed a new light on somé aspect already supposed to be sufficiently well known, this publication claims as its apologia the fact that a definitive portrayal of Flanders hasyet to be presented. Not that this book itself can be said to be complete. A number of places and objects of interest have, literally and figuratively, remained unilluminated. And even in the towns and villages which are described, the likelihood is that something attractive has been overlooked (the roof, the tower, the crown or other features). Neither Brussels, the capital of Flanders, is dealt with in this book. As with Louvain and the Walloon provinces, the city will be treated in other volumes of the series. Flanders is therefore possesses even more beauty and splendour than can be gathered from the pages that follow. Vissza

Fülszöveg

Flanders, the northern, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. The region has a turbulent history, its pattern betraying a succession of influences - French, Spanish, Austrian and other. How these influences have marked the Flemings' character is not immediately clear. They are said to be stay-at-home, devoted to their native soil, but at the same time their talent for multilingualism stamps them as receptive to other cultures. Since the end of World War II Flanders has developed into a modern, markedly export-oriented industrial region. It has become a link in the world economy, albeit at the expense of somé of its unruffled calm and natural beauty. Not that this book itself can be said to be complete. A number of places and objects of interest have, literally and figuratively, remained unilluminated. And even in the towns and villages which are described, the likelihood is that something attractive has been overlooked (the roof, the tower, the crown or other features). Flanders therefore possesses even more beauty and splendour than can be gathered from this book. Vissza