The Grand-Place: Europe's finest square
Few cities open their heart as dramatically as Brussels. Anyone stepping onto the Grand-Place (Grote Markt) for the first time instinctively stops, overwhelmed by the splendour of its gilded facades. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, it is regarded as one of the most complete Baroque squares in the world. Most of the buildings were rebuilt after the 1695 bombardment ordered by the French Marshal de Villeroy, which reduced medieval Brussels to rubble in just three days.
Every guildhall tells its own story. The house Le Roy d'Espagne belonged to the bakers, Le Cornet to the boatmen, and Le Cygne — where Karl Marx worked with Engels on the Communist Manifesto in 1848 — was the butchers' guildhall. Rising above them all is the Gothic Town Hall, whose 96-metre spire is crowned by a statue of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of the city. Every two years in August, the square is carpeted with nearly a million begonias in the famous Flower Carpet.
Manneken Pis and Brussels humour
A few streets from the Grand-Place stands Belgium's most famous statue: Manneken Pis. This bronze boy, barely 55 centimetres tall and sculpted by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder in 1619, urinates unperturbed into his fountain basin. Dozens of legends surround him: one tells of a boy who extinguished a burning fuse and saved the city, another of a nobleman's lost son found relieving himself. The little figure owns a wardrobe of over a thousand costumes, kept in the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum. Since 1987 he also has a female counterpart, Jeanneke Pis, in an alley near the Rue des Bouchers.
The Atomium and the world of 1958
In the north of the city, on the Heysel plateau, rises the Atomium: a 102-metre structure depicting an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Built for the 1958 World's Fair (Expo 58), it embodies post-war faith in science and progress. The uppermost sphere offers a panorama across all of Brussels. Right beside it lies Mini-Europe, a miniature park where you can walk from the Eiffel Tower to Big Ben in a matter of steps.
The European Quarter: the EU's de facto capital
Around Schuman roundabout beats the political heart of the continent. Here stand the Berlaymont — seat of the European Commission — and the European Parliament with its imposing hemicycle. The free Parlamentarium visitor centre explains how European democracy works in 24 languages. Nearby stretches the Cinquantenaire Park, with its triumphal arch of 1905 and the Autoworld museum.
Art nouveau and Victor Horta
Brussels is the cradle of art nouveau. Around 1893, architect Victor Horta revolutionised design with sinuous iron lines, glass and natural light. Four of his townhouses — the Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde and his own home (now the Horta Museum in Saint-Gilles) — have been UNESCO-listed since 2000. Wander through the districts of Saint-Gilles and Ixelles to discover dozens more graceful facades.
Museums, chocolate and practical Brussels
Art lovers are richly rewarded in Brussels. The Magritte Museum holds the world's largest collection of the surrealist René Magritte. The Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) occupies a magnificent art-nouveau building with a rooftop café. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts display masterpieces from Bruegel to Rubens.
For atmosphere and shopping, stroll through the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, opened in 1847 and among the oldest covered shopping arcades in Europe. The Sablon tempts with antique dealers and chocolatiers such as Pierre Marcolini.
- Taste real Belgian fries at a friterie, always double-fried and served in a paper cone with mayonnaise.
- Try a Brussels waffle, thinner and lighter than the Liège version.
- Explore the beer cellars: from lambic and gueuze to Trappists like Westmalle and Chimay.
Practically speaking, Brussels is officially bilingual: every street name appears in both French and Dutch. The metro network is compact and efficient; a single ticket takes you easily to every landmark. Don't be put off by the grey office districts — the real Brussels hides in its squares, cafés and surprising side streets.