Brussels
The Hub and the Heart

With about a million inhabitants, Brussels is not only the national capital but also home to the E.E.C. and NATO, and regards itself with good justification, the capital of Europe.

The city comprises 19 communes, some Walloon, some Flemish and others mixed and as such officially bilingual with street names, official notices and such like in both French and Flemish.

Brussels is a cosmopolitan city, with a liveliness and an appeal that are intimately related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe. Architectural styles range from Gothic cathedrals and churches to the gracious classical facades of the Palais des Nations, the Royal Palace and to the many art nouveau and art deco houses in the comfortable neighborhoods where the Bruxellois live.

The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city is the Grand' Place. This historic square, lined with exuberantly ornate guild houses and focused on the Gothic heights of the Hotel de Ville, is widely held to be one of Europe's finest. The Grand'Place is also, as it has been for centuries, the focal point of the city's social and civic life. The people of Brussels gather here for their most important ceremonies and festivals, for the traditional bird market on Sunday mornings, and - most importantly - for no task more pressing than to sit, have a beer, and let the world pass..

Every neighborhood has its own market as Brussels is a city of markets: the bird market, the flower market, the antique market, the flea market, and the horse market. Vendors bring fresh produce from nearby fields, cheeses made in farms and abbeys; hams cured in the Ardennes, flowers and potted plants, chickens, rabbits and fresh caught fish, shrimp and mussels from the North Sea.

The Atomium

This monument dating back to 1958 has become the Eiffel Tower of Brussels. The Atomium is the visual representation of the concept of an "atom". It symbolizes an elementary iron crystal with its 9 atoms and magnified 150 billion times.

It honored the metal and iron industry and the belief in the atomic power. The architect was André Waterkeyn. It took 3 years from the time of initial conception to completion. The monument is coated with aluminum, weighs 2.400 tons and is 340 feet high. Each sphere has a diameter of 60 feet. An elevator takes visitors to the upper sphere where one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Heysel area and (if the weather is good) the city of Brussels. There is also a good buffet-restaurant in the upper sphere. In the other spheres exhibitions are held. They can be visited by means of escalators.

The "Grand' Place"

Victor Hugo and Jacques Cocteau termed the Grand' Place "a rich theatre", "a gigantic place". It is mentioned as one of the top three sights in Europe. It is surrounded by the "houses" of the Middle Age Guilds, the magnificent City Hall, the "King's House" (where no king ever lived!) and more.All these buildings, except for the City Hall were destroyed in 1695 but rebuilt within the next four years. What were wooden façades before 1695 were rebuilt entirely in stone and embellished with statues in gilded copper.The square is lined on two sides with cafe-restaurants providing terraces from sunup to sundown...Every second year the Grand' Place becomes a huge flower garden. More than 700.000 begonias of every color are used to form a magnificent flower carpet.

Sts. Michel & Gudule Cathedral

The building of the church was started during the 13th and completed in the 15th centuries. Two chapels were added during the 1500's. Because it took more than 300 years to complete, the building reflects several architectural styles; from Romanesque (1200), through Gothic, to the early Renaissance of the 1500's. It boasts the highest vaulted ceiling in Belgium and is adorned with beautiful early 14th century stained glass windows. Massive columns provide a background for statues of the twelve apostles in a sober and imposing nave.The pulpit is of gothic style and bears wood sculptures depicting the ousting of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. In the choir portion, a mausoleum contains the remains of the Dukes of Brabant (1610). At the other end of the nave are two rich stained glass panels, one which portrays Charles V and his wife Isabella, while the other panel shows Louis II, king of Hungary with his wife Marie, sister of Charles V. As in most churches, little unattended stalls provide pamphlets in English, French, German and Dutch to guide you through the art treasures to be found there. Usually, a small donation is requested.

Manneken Pis

At the corner of the Rue de l'Etuve and the Rue du Chene, stands the fountain of Manneken-Pis. The statue has long been a beloved figure in Brussels, having come to be regarded as an honored citizen of the town. Kings, Presidents, and celebrities have given costumes to the Manneken-Pis.

He now has a wardrobe of more than 250 outfits which are housed in the Musee Communal. Dating back to the 1400s, it then served the purpose of providing the citizens of the area with a source of drinking water. In 1619, Jerome Duquesnoy made a bronze replica of the small lad and the original was then preserved (in the "Maison du Roi" on the Grand' Place). Several legends surround the statue of the "oldest citizen of Brussels", but he has always personified the cynical, impious character imputed to Bruxellians!

The little one now has a sister! Called "Jeanneke Pis", she can be found having a squirt alongside Brussels' central restaurant strip, Rue des Bouchers.