Chapter 1
Life inside a single building and deep underground
Chapter 2
The strange towns split by international borders
Chapter 3
Cities built for the departed and the spiritual
Chapter 4
Cities with the world's most extreme rules
Ch 2 · The strange towns split by international borders
schopenhauer Divided Border Towns
Is my kitchen Dutch or is it Belgian? (Who knows!) / I'll move my front door to change my nation! (Oh yes!)
schopenhauer The self-contained eco-community of Damanhur and its underground temples
schopenhauer A single library and opera house sits directly on the US-Canada border, allowing patrons to cross international lines without a passport.
Fun Fact
Border dining: In Baarle, when Dutch laws required restaurants to close earlier than Belgian ones, waiters simply shifted customers to tables on the Belgian side of the room to keep serving.
schopenhauer This German town is entirely surrounded by Switzerland, forcing residents to navigate two postal codes, two phone systems, and two currencies.
Glossary
enclave (noun)
A portion of territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another state. The Belgian municipality of Baarle-Hertog contains over twenty distinct enclaves situated within the Netherlands.
A portion of territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another state. The Belgian municipality of Baarle-Hertog contains over twenty distinct enclaves situated within the Netherlands.
Quiz
Which two European countries share the highly fragmented border town of Baarle?
BETA
schopenhauer Drag the border line to discover how a single town exists in two countries.
schopenhauer The fragmented border town of Baarle between Belgium and the Netherlands.
Quiz
What currency do residents of the German town of Buesingen am Hochrhein primarily use for daily transactions?
schopenhauer Büsingen am Hochrhein is a German town entirely surrounded by Switzerland.
Quiz
What unique feature does the Haskell Free Library in Derby Line and Stanstead have on its floor?
Quiz
The German enclave of Buesingen am Hochrhein is entirely surrounded by which country?
Quiz
Which underground complex did the community of Damanhur, Italy, build in secret from the government?
Quiz
What is the name of the local currency used within the self-governing eco-community of Damanhur in Italy?
Quiz
What happens if you enter the Haskell Free Library from the US side and walk out the Canadian exit without reporting to customs?
Quiz
In the town of Baarle, how is a resident's official nationality determined if the border cuts their house in half?