What if you lived in two different countries at the same time? Apparently this is a “thing” in Baarle-Hertog, a Belgian town just over 30 miles from Antwerp, but actually located three miles in the Netherlands. Confused? You’re not alone. In the early 12th century, medieval lords started to swap land, which resulted in a complex series of borders where parts of the town are in Belgium, while other parts are in the Netherlands. In total the town has 24 separate parcels of land. One famous example shows the border running right through the middle of someone’s house.
So you can sleep in Belgium, then wake up and take a shower in the Netherlands. Or you can sit on your couch in Belgium while watching Dutch TV. In the city centre the pavement is marked with a dashed line, which turns into a series of metal discs when on the roadway. But there are no physical markings in field and gardens, except for an occasional warehouse with two doors, one for each side of the border. I’d go on about this place but my brain is beginning to hurt. How do people live there? I’d go nuts.
