On 16 August 1897, captain Adrien de Gerlache left Antwerp for the Antarctic with an international crew on a robust three-master, the Belgica. This expedition was the first Antarctic expedition of a purely scientific nature and was also the first to overwinter in the austral polar night.
On 10 March 1898 and for twelve months the Belgica got imprisoned in the ice. The icebound ship drifted over 3200 kilometers and was finally released on 14 March 1899 after great efforts. The Belgica expedition returned with an important scientific harvest and a complete annual cycle of observations.
The 'Belgica Expedition Centennial' discusses the historical context of the expedition as well as the actual research programme of Belgium in Antarctica.
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