Pierre Culliford, widely known under his artistic nickname Peyo, was born in Brussels. He was a cartoonist famed for creating the 'Smurfs' comic strip. The little blue dwarves first came on screen in 1958 as “side characters” in one of the episodes of Peyo's early cartoon J'ohan & Pirlouit'. Their first solo appearance was a year later. From then on, Smurfs' triumphal success was unstoppable. The American Hanna-Barbera Studios produced 250 animated cartoons that were telecast throughout the world and gained enormous popularity. Even though Peyo had a great success with 'Johan & Pirlouit' and even bigger with 'Smurfs', he introduced the 'Benoît Brisefer' series which has become another classic of his.

If I were to write a biography, it would start like this: I was born in Brussels, Belgium, on May 4, 1929... and I died six weeks later.

The graceful actress and much loved humanitarian won a name for herself in 'Roman Holiday' (1953), her first Hollywood film. For her performance as Princess Ann she received the Best Actress Academy Award. Hepburn continued to adorn the screen with her inimitable charm in 'Sabrina' (1954), 'War and Peace' (1956), 'Funny Face' (1957), 'Love in the Afternoon' (1957), 'The Nun's Story' (1959), 'The Unforgiven' (1960), 'Charade' (1963), 'How To Steal A Million' (1966), 'Two for the Road' (1967), 'Wait Until Dark' (1967) and 'Robin and Marian' (1976). But it is her role as Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961) that will be remembered as one of the most iconic in the cinematic history. In 1964 she starred in 'My Fair Lady'. Later in her life she was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and worked with famished children in Africa until her death of colon cancer.

In my eyes Brussels has always been a tramway. I used to have to ride the tram for one hour and a half every morning and night. And it was always raining.

Brel is hailed as one of the most superb modern French-language singers and songwriters, and a passionate live performer. He got his first hit 'Quand on n'a que l'amour' in 1956 and throughout the rest of the 1950s and 1960s pursued successful recording and touring career. He left a wealth of powerful songs, which are in fact living stories of success, failure, dreams, disillusions. It is enough to mention 'Amsterdam', 'Ne Me Quitte Pa', 'Marieke', 'Les Bourgeois' and 'The Old Folks'. Some of his songs have been covered by musicians as disparate as Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and Sting. Brel also starred in several films, two of which he directed himself – 'Franz' in 1971 and 'Le Far West' in 1973. Though he passed away so young, his accomplishments will live on.

The passion and snobbery to acquire a name and a title flourishes here [in Brussels] like nowhere else.

An admired French language writer of international renown, Yourcenar was born Marguerite de Crayencour in Brussels. She wrote many novels and short stories, several plays, poetry, critical essays as well as three volumes of memoirs. Her first novel was 'Alexis' (1929). In 1951 she published one of her better known historical novels, 'Memoirs of Hadrian', which was an instant success. 'Coup of Grace' is possibly the most powerful example of her fiction work. Yourcenar is also the author of 'A Coin in Nine Hands' (1934), 'Fires' (1936), 'Oriental Tales' (1938) and 'The Abyss' (1968). In 1980 she distinguished herself as the first woman to be elected to the Academie Francaise.

Known as the first king of the Belgians, Leopold ruled between 1831 and 1865. He was born in Coburg, Bavaria, and became a prince of the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha early in his life. He was only a five-year-old child when he was appointed colonel of the Izmailovski Imperial Regiment in Russia. He could have started a military career with Napoleon, who offered him the position of adjutant in Paris in 1806, but young Leopold chose to serve in the Imperial Russian cavalry instead, where a year later he became a general. In 1813, he fought courageously in the Battle of Kulm in Bohemia, and in 1816, Leopold married Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, who sadly died the following year. In 1832, he married Louise-Marie of Orleans, with whom he had four children. After gaining independence from the Netherlands, the Belgian Congress asked Leopold to become king. On July 21, 1831, the first ruler of this young country officially swore allegiance to the constitution in the Royal Palace in Brussels. During his reign, Belgium remained neutral and a continental railway connecting Brussels and Mechelen was opened. His body lies in the Royal vault at the Church of Our Lady at Laken Cemetery in Brussels.

This native of Brussels is a race driver, and was a famous member of a couple of Formula One teams. Thierry Boutsen started his racing career in 1977, when he entered the Formula Ford and scored 15 victories in 18 races until 1979, when he moved to the Formula 3. Two years later, he raced in the Formula 2. In 1983, Boutsen made his debut in the Formula 1. All in all, he spent 10 years racing in a Formula 1 cockpit for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams. He won the famous Daytona 24 Hours in 1985. With Williams F1, he was a Grand Prix winner in 1989 and 1990. He retired from Formula 1 in 1993. However, in 1997 he raced in Daytona again with Bill Adam and Hans Stuck, finishing 2nd in his class. Soon after, he moved with his wife to Monaco, where he runs his private company, Boutsen Aviation, which deals with aircraft sales.

I was running my karate school and weight gym in Brussels in 1983, and I decided that it was time for me to put into action all the philosophy, confidence and faith I had in myself, that I had learned through training in the dojo.

Called by his fans “The Muscles from Brussels,” this internationally known actor in action films was born and raised in the capital city of Belgium. When he turned 10, his father enrolled him in a karate school, where the boy developed great skills in the martial arts. Not only did he gain the black belt, but also, within a short span of time, he won the championship of the European Professional Karate Association. From the age of 16, Jean-Claude attended ballet classes for six years. He even opened his own gym in Brussels. His first role was as the Karate Man in 'Monaco Forever', released in 1984. He left Belgium in the early 1980s, trying his luck in Hong Kong and eventually settling in the United States. The film that opened the doors to his international career was 'Bloodsport' (1984), panned by critics but now considered a classic in its genre. Furthermore, around this time the martial arts began to rise in popularity. Van Damme was a top Hollywood actor in the 1990s, starring in such productions as 'Double Impact', 'Universal Soldier', 'Hard Target' and 'Timecop'. The films he has starred in have earned over a billion dollars, and thus the actor has become an action hero alongside Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Famous as the Singing Nun, Sister Luc Gabriel of the Dominican Convent had a musical career, reaching the top of the charts in the USA. She was born in Wavre, near Brussels, as Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers, and not much is known about her younger years, before she joined the convent. There, she came to be known for singing and playing the guitar, and the other nuns encouraged her to record an album. Released in 1963, it featured the hit 'Dominique', which was ranked number one on the charts. Within a short time, this modest religious woman became an international celebrity with the stage name of Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile). Numerous concerts and participation in a TV show followed, and even the film 'The Singing Nun' with Debbie Reynolds. Soon, Deckers quit performing for some time and led a more rigorous life, until she was ready to make her second album in 1967, 'I Am Not a Star in Heaven'. Also, Sister Luc Gabriel condemned Catholic conservatism and supported birth control. Later, she devoted herself to a school for autistic children. 1996 saw the premiere of an Off-Broadway play, 'The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun'.