Two%20centuries%20after%20it%20became%20famous%2C%20shy%20Belgian%20town%20prepares%20to%20face%20its%20Waterloo

The little Belgian town of Waterloo is feverishly preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of one of history’s greatest battles, hoping it can reclaim its name from a London railway station and an ABBA song. Two centuries after it became famous as the place where ‘Napoleon did surrender,’ the former farming village has become a sleepy suburb 25 kilometres (17 miles) south of the capital Brussels, with a population of 30,000. But now its shop windows are full of pictures of the French emperor’s famous two-horned hats and little Napoleons perched on white stallions, ahead of several days of huge celebrations later this month. After years of relative obscurity there is a feeling that Waterloo is finally facing its fate as a historic tourism draw. ‘I’ve lived in Waterloo for 50 years and I’ve always known the story of Napoleon,’ retiree Antoine Delsemme told AFP in the small town centre. ‘But all this will attract people, it will

Read More: Two centuries after it became famous, shy Belgian town prepares to face its Waterloo