The giants of Leopoldsburg & Heppen
Flanders has more than 1700 city giants. Several cities have their giants representing the city. We also have 5 giants in our village.
History
Giants have existed for centuries, and their numbers are still growing. The original giants depicted religious figures and joined processions, where they had a dramatic function. Throughout the centuries, this custom changed; the Catholic Church lost its grip on these processions and the giants were used more as a profane symbol, some giants were associated with a guild and/or depicted a local legend.
The life of a giant
A giant is not just any doll: he or she represents a heritage community. Giants can also marry another giant and have children to create a giant family.
Our giants
Below you will find our five giants. Click on the name to find out more.
This article is also available in
Nederlands
