Made In Belgium Nº1 : The Belgian Antarctic Expedition

A piece of Belgium in Antarctica :

At the edge of the world, surrounded by endless ice and silence, stands the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Station — the belgian scientific polar research station in Antarctitca. Officially inaugurated in 2009, it’s the world’s first zero-emission polar station in the world. The station is named after Princess Elisabeth, heir to the Belgian throne, and represents a symbol of national pride and a commitment to the future of our planet.  The futuristic design, perched on a rocky ridge of Utsteinen Nunatak in Queen Maud Land, is a masterpiece of innovation/architecture. Designed to resist against the brutal Antarctic climate. Inside, teams of scientists collaborate on research projects that range from glaciology and climate change to microbiology and atmospheric sciences. The work conducted here provides vital insights into Earth’s fragile systems, helping us better understand how global warming affects ice sheets, oceans, and life worldwide.

The Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897–1899) :

Belgium made history with one of the most daring expeditions In 1897, the Belgian naval officer Adrien de Gerlache set sail from Antwerp aboard the Belgica, determined to explore the uncharted Antarctic.He was the first to organize a scientific expedition to Antarctica. The Belgica’s journey marked a turning point in polar exploration and inspiring future generations of explorers. They returned to Belgium as pioneers, opening the door to modern Antarctic science. Trapped in the ice of the Bellingshausen Sea, the Belgica became the first ship to overwinter in Antarctica. The crew faced months of darkness, extreme cold, technical problems, but they resist till end. Many men died, but through ingenuity and determination, the expedition survived the ordeal. Gathered pioneering data on geography,  biology, including a full year of meteorological observations. They were honored and became member of the Royal Order of Leopold.

Few nations have managed to establish a permanent foothold in Antarctica. Among them, Belgium stands out with one of the best station, representing a technological achievement.

Positioned just 200 km’s from the coast, the station is built against the the granite ridge of Utsteinen Nunatak, at an altitude is of 1382m, in the Dronning Maud-Land region of East-Antarctica.  Thanks to this unique location, researchers do not need to travel far into Antarctic wilderness to conduct their studies - travel times into the field are minimised. The station has plenty of space (400m² main building and 1,500m² technical areas) and can comfortably accomodate 25 to 40 people. The structure resist to 300km/h-winds through its aerodynamic shape and its foundation anchoring of several metres deep into the permafrost.  Philippe Samyn, a Belgian architect, was involved in designing the shell and underlying structure. The upper deck of the building is the actual station and looks over the ridge edge. The lower deck contains a garage for snowcat vehicles and other utilities. The Princess Elisabeth Station is also designed to withstand the hardships of the Antarctic winter. Theses conditions can be harsh : with temperatures ranging between -50°C to -5°C. During the Austral summer (Nov-Febr) there is almost permanent daylight, and during the Antarctic winter, the team would face almost 24-hours of darkness in a day.

Our latest format 👉🏼 « Made in Belgium » is our new way of telling Belgium’s history differently — to inform, inspire and entertain. Get ready to (re)discover Belgium like never before ! Historical stories and achievements, all written with passion by our team. Stay tuned to discover the stories that shaped our collective identity. 🇧🇪