1873 in Belgium

Events in the year 1873 in Belgium.

Incumbents

 * Monarch: Leopold II
 * Head of government: Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt

Events

 * 13 January
 * Convention with The Netherlands for building water defences on the Zwin comes into effect.
 * Treaty with The Netherlands for the building of a railway line from Antwerp to Mönchengladbach over Dutch territory ("Iron Rhine Treaty") signed in Brussels.
 * 18 May – Law allowing the formation of limited liability companies.
 * 29 June – Mass demonstration in support of the right of Jozef Schoep, labourer, to use the Dutch language to register his child's birth.
 * 10 July – Paul Verlaine shoots at Arthur Rimbaud, slightly injuring him.
 * 8 August – Paul Verlaine sentenced to two years in prison for injuring Arthur Rimbaud with a fire arm.
 * 23 July – Commercial treaty with France.
 * 17 August – Law allowing the use of Dutch in courts of law.
 * 27 December – Formal opening of Brussels Stock Exchange.

Publications

 * Ministry of Public Works, Chemin de fer de l'état. Postes – Télégraphes. Compte-rendu des opérations pendant l'année 1872 (Brussels, Fr. Gobbaerts).
 * Henri Guillaume, Histoire des bandes d'ordonnance des Pays-Bas (Brussels, Académie Royale)
 * Jules Helbig, Histoire de la peinture au pays de Liège
 * Émile de Laveleye, Des causes actuelles de guerre en Europe et de l'arbitrage
 * Eugène Van Bemmel, Patria Belgica: Encyclopédie nationale, vol. 1 (Brussels, Bruylant-Christophe & Cie., 1874)

Art and architecture

 * Buildings
 * Léon-Pierre Suys, Brussels Stock Exchange
 * Concert Noble ballroom, Brussels

Births

 * 9 February – Maurits Sabbe, man of letters (died 1938)
 * 28 February – Georges Theunis, politician (died 1966)
 * 17 June – Clara Ward, Princesse de Caraman-Chimay (died 1926)
 * 23 July – Marie Janson, politician (died 1960)
 * 25 July – Henri Meunier, graphic artist (died 1922)
 * 26 July – Pierre Nolf, scientist (died 1953)
 * 16 September – Alfred Bastien, painter (died 1955)
 * 14 December – Joseph Jongen, composer (died 1953)

Deaths

 * 30 January – Emile Pierre Joseph De Cauwer (born 1828), painter
 * 5 May – Albert Goblet d'Alviella (born 1790), politician
 * 6 June – Ignatius Josephus van Regemorter (born 1785), artist
 * 1 December – Augustin de Backer (born 1809) Jesuit bibliographer
 * 9 December – Martinus Dom (born 1791), abbot of Westmalle