Whether you're looking to decorate your walls with a fine piece of art, purchase an antique, own something of historical significance, or give a meaningful gift, you can't go wrong with Belgian tapestry. A large part of Belgium's culture and history, tapestries made here are the most durable, high quality in all of Europe and arguably the whole world. They effortlessly add a unique class and elegance to any home. There are so many benefits to owning a Belgian tapestry that are both practical and fashionable.

Tapestries have been in production in Belgium for several hundreds of years, as early as the twelfth century. Up until the introduction of the Jacquard loom, which was founded very close to Belgium back in 1808, every single Belgian tapestry was hand woven by skilled weavers, most of whom had fled from France during the Hundred Year War. With so many weavers settling in Belgium, tapestry crafting became an integral part of Belgian culture to the point where Belgians are now the most reputable tapestry manufacturers in the world.

The most popular kind of Belgian tapestry would be reproductions of the eleventh century Bayeux tapestries. The original Bayeux tapestries were created as a visual documentation of the infamous Battle of Hastings between Normandy and England in 1066 AD, and are cherished pieces of English history. Belgian reproductions of these tapestries preserve the authentic medieval style of the earliest Belgian tapestries and, while the scenes are meant to go together, are completely separate from one another. The individual scenes of the Bayeux tapestries are beautiful works of art in their own, though there are some people who have attempted to reproduce the entire collection.

If you're not interested in war scenes, then perhaps an intricately detailed Beatrix tapestry will catch your eye. These kinds of Belgian tapestries are intended to be focal pieces and will draw the attention of anyone who sees it. There are several themes found in Beatrix tapestries such as beautiful nature scenes, wild animals, lush gardens, and other such romantic concepts. Many of these tapestries are reproductions of art from the Renaissance period; however there are modern Beatrix tapestries available as well.

Antique Belgian tapestries are another option if you want to make a real investment into some artwork. While most of the really popular antique Belgian tapestries are in museums and family vaults, you can find authentic Belgian tapestries that are a hundred years old or more. Before the Jacquard loom revolutionized the production of tapestry weaving, only those of great wealth were able to afford tapestries for their homes, meaning antique Belgian tapestries on today's market could have very well once been the property of royalty.

As you can see, there are several good reasons to purchase a Belgian tapestry other than for decorative purposes. Aside from being among the most beautiful items to adorn your home, you can also rely on having something of great value and significance to pass down through your family for centuries to come.