Divides houses in half: where is the most unusual border between countries in the world (4 photos + 1 video)

Residents of the city of Baarle, which is divided into two parts, do not feel any discomfort because they can freely move between two countries without leaving one settlement. There is even an advantage in this.





The most unusual border between countries in the world is in Europe in the city of Baarle. Here, during a walk around the city, you can move between Belgium and the Netherlands dozens of times because the border between the countries that runs through the city is not one straight line. Because of this, in some houses the kitchen may be in one country, and the bathroom in another. But the residents of the city seem to be happy with everything.



Because it is divided between two countries, Baarle has two parts: Baarle-Nassau, which is in the Netherlands, and Baarle-Hertog, which is in Belgium. The border between the countries winds through the streets and passes through houses, shops, and restaurants. On the streets and inside some houses, this border is marked with white crosses.

The strange location of the border in Baarle is due to a long history of medieval land contracts, feudal relations, and modern construction. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the region was a scattered feudal territory controlled by the Duke of Brabant. He gave away part of the land that is now in the Netherlands to his vassals.





After Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in the 1830s, a border was drawn across this part of Western Europe, but it turned out that it was impossible to draw a clear, continuous line. Therefore, it was decided to draw a border that would cut across streets and various buildings, but would officially be a dividing line between the two countries. It was not until the 1990s that the border was defined more precisely, although this did not change the situation much. The city of Baarle remains divided, but this does not seem to cause any discomfort either to the city's residents or to the Dutch and Belgian citizens from other cities.



Belgium and the Netherlands are part of the European Union's Schengen Area, which allows citizens of these countries to travel visa-free, meaning crossing the confusing border is not a problem. The border in Baarle is also not a problem because the people on both sides of it speak Dutch and have a similar culture.

But the strange border creates many unusual situations, especially when it comes to the law. For example, in the Netherlands, fireworks can only be bought on New Year's Eve. But in Belgium, fireworks can be bought at any time. So if these symbols of the New Year are not available in Baarle-Nassau, you can simply cross the street and buy fireworks in a shop in Baarle-Hertog.

In the Netherlands, alcohol can only be sold to people who are 18 or older, but in Belgium, wine and beer can be purchased from the age of 16. Therefore, teenagers can cross from the Dutch part of Baarle to the Belgian part and buy alcohol on the other side of the border.

In the recent past, due to local law, restaurants in the Netherlands closed earlier than in Belgium. But some establishments simply moved tables to the other side of the border and continued operating.

Due to differences in taxation between the two countries, the prices of some goods differ. Therefore, locals may cross the border to find a better deal.