Italians have been painting Limburg's streetscape for 80 years, 97-year-old Carolina still cooks "like her mother in Italy"

The Italian presence in Limburg has left a lasting mark on the region's cultural landscape, a legacy that stretches back nearly eight decades. Today, walking through streets such as the Vennestraat in Genk, attending Sunday Mass at the Missione Cattolica, or simply visiting community hubs like La Baracca in Zolder evokes a sense of being in southern Italy rather than Belgium. This enduring influence began in 1946 when Belgium and Italy signed a labor agreement that brought approximately 50,000 Italian guest workers to the coal mines of Limburg. These migrants laid the foundation for a vibrant Italian community that continues to shape local life today.

At the heart of this cultural continuity is the Italian kitchen, which once served as the “kitchen of the poor” but now stands as a celebrated part of Limburg’s identity. The region’s Italian culinary traditions have grown so deeply rooted that they were recognized by UNESCO in late 2025 as intangible world heritage. This recognition highlights how dishes once made with minimal ingredients—such as eggs, flour, and olive oil—have become integral to daily life in Limburg. The influence extends beyond food, permeating social gatherings, religious practices, and even the architecture of community spaces.

One of the most prominent figures representing this enduring tradition is 97-year-old Carolina Prandini. She still cooks using methods passed down from her mother in Italy, maintaining a connection to her origins despite having lived in Belgium for more than seven decades. Carolina recalls arriving in a grey and bleak Belgium during the early 1950s, where she followed her husband to work in the mines. The cold climate and unfamiliar surroundings prompted her to recreate elements of home in the kitchen, using whatever ingredients were available to make meals that reminded her of Italy. Her approach to cooking, described as the “kitchen of the poor,” reflects both resilience and resourcefulness.

Carolina’s story is emblematic of the broader experience of the first generation of Italian immigrants who arrived in Limburg. Many women, like her, moved to Belgium to join their husbands, often facing significant challenges in adapting to a new culture and environment. Despite these difficulties, they played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting Italian customs, particularly within the domestic sphere. The kitchen became a central space for maintaining cultural ties, ensuring that traditional recipes and family values were passed on to subsequent generations.

Religious institutions also played a vital role in sustaining the Italian community. In the 1960s, the Italian migrants established the Missione Cattolica in Genk, a Catholic church designed to serve the spiritual and social needs of the community in their native language and according to their cultural practices. Today, the Missione Cattolica remains a hub of activity, drawing hundreds of attendees each Sunday for mass. Beyond its religious function, it has evolved into a place of gathering, where people continue conversations well into the afternoon, sharing food, stories, and connections.

For younger members of the Italian-Belgian community, such as 24-year-old Lidia Galucci, pride in their heritage is evident. They see the courage and resilience of their ancestors as qualities worth celebrating and carrying forward. This sentiment underscores the ongoing vitality of the Italian community in Limburg, which has adapted while retaining its distinct identity. As the years pass, the fusion of Italian and Belgian cultures continues to evolve, yet the foundational contributions of the early migrants remain deeply embedded in the region’s social fabric.

Looking ahead, the future of the Italian community in Limburg appears secure, supported by both historical continuity and contemporary engagement. With UNESCO’s recognition and the continued presence of cultural landmarks like the Missione Cattolica and La Baracca, the legacy of the Italian migrants is likely to persist for many more years. Their influence, seen in everything from cuisine to communal spaces, ensures that the Italian presence in Limburg will remain a defining feature of the region’s identity.