One of Europe’s most politically significant cities, Brussels has been the capital of the European Union since its inception. Aside from its political prominence, the city has been a bastion of rich history and culture for centuries, particularly regarding the arts.
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The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the world, ranking second in Europe. and within the top 20 globally. The city is also known for its diamond industry and trade. Both economically and culturally, Antwerp is and has long been an important city in the Low Countries,
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Born into European royalty , The first King King of the Belgians, Leopold I , reigned for more than 30 years from 1831 until his death in 1865.
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Lepold spent long winters in luxurious quarters on the French Riviera, and was estranged from two of his three daughters. Moreover, he had a well-known penchant for teenaged girls, and, when he was age 65, he began a liaison with a teenaged former prostitute who bore him two additional children.
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These communities were rather large court béguinages, a collection of simple houses centered on a church, chapel and/or garden and enclosed by a ditch or wall. These béguinages evolved to eventually contain everything from bakeries, hospitals, farms and even breweries. They offered the béguines, who were unmarried or widowed women, a free and independent life dedicated to religion.
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