Brussels today is the epitome of an international city, with people from all over the world living side by side. But what was it like in the past? Of course, there had been contacts between Brussels and the rest of the world for centuries: the city stands at a crossroads between North and South, East and West. Colonisation too was a key influencing factor.

However, in some respects things have changed considerably. Nowadays, technology connects us to the whole world and travel is something many of us take for granted, but in times past how did the people of Brussels come into contact with other cultures and other countries? And what role did colonial ties play in this process? Can we identify historical traces of these contacts in today’s city? Where are they, why are they there, and when do they date from?

Together, you will set off in search of the answers, comparing what you find with your present-day lives in contemporary Brussels.