- What to visit in Brussels on the Grand Place
- The visiting card of Brussels
- Visit to the Upper Town
- Travel to the world of architecture
Today, the main city of the Kingdom of Belgium has a new status, it is called the administrative capital of Europe, since the institutions of the European Community and NATO are concentrated here. Although tourists are not interested in them, but the Town Hall Square, monumental architectural masterpieces surrounding it, old quarters, museums, galleries and parks. And this is the main answer to the question of what to visit in Brussels.
The city is democratically disposed towards each guest, almost everyone speaks English, so the language barrier is removed. The capital of Belgium is located in close proximity to other large cities in Europe, therefore, if time permits, you can "rush" to Amsterdam or Cologne to take home even more photos and impressions.
What to visit in Brussels on the Grand Place
The name of the square clearly indicates its main role in the past; today it is the historical center of the city, from where most excursions or independent walks begin. But there are also many beautiful buildings on the square, many of them have a long glorious history and unusual names, which are, for example, "Fox" or "Wolf". Of the architectural landmarks located on the Grand Place, the following stand out: the Town Hall, erected in the 15th century; Bread rows, also called the King's House.
It is not without reason that UNESCO specialists have included the ensemble of the central square of the city, this masterpiece of medieval architecture, in their famous lists. In the XII century, these territories were occupied by vast swamps. They were drained, the first structure was built - the Bread House, it is clear what it was used to store, later it was renamed the King's House. By 1455, the Town Hall building appeared on the square; it was built, as expected, in the Gothic style. In August 1695, during the shelling by the French, almost all structures on the square were destroyed, only the buildings of the Town Hall and part of the King's House survived.
At the end of the military events, the square was quickly (in four years) rebuilt, with the help of local guilds, the buildings were erected in the Baroque or Louis XIV style. It is the architectural ensemble of the Grand Place that you can visit in Brussels on your own, admire the architectural decor, slender columns supporting porticoes, statues, and garlands.
It is interesting that some buildings are open for tourists, including a part of the town hall. There you can see the interiors, beautifully and richly decorated, get acquainted with the collection of wall hangings that were woven by hand in the 16th – 18th centuries. skilful Belgian craftsmen.
The visiting card of Brussels
Naturally, this is a sculpture depicting one world famous boy. He first adorned Brussels with his presence in 1619, became a symbol of the rebellious spirit of the capital's inhabitants and an object of encroachments from thieves.
It is interesting that now a whole company has gathered in the Belgian capital, in addition to the Manneken Pis sculpture, a girl and a dog have appeared, and they are doing the same thing. There is also a tradition associated with an undressed baby: foreign delegations arriving in Brussels consider it their duty to bring the boy a national costume. The clothes are kept in one of the museums and are available for inspection.
Visit to the Upper Town
This part of Brussels is located near the historic center, but it also has its own architectural landmarks, for example, the Royal Palace. Today it is the main residence of the Belgian royal family. A chic park is spread around it, and in the palace itself there is a small museum that stores masterpieces of silver, porcelain, and glass.
Not far from the Royal Palace is the Bellevue Museum, its expositions tell about the history of Belgium, the formation and development of the state. Another amazing monument of ancient architecture is located in the Upper Town - the Cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Michael. It began to be erected in 1047, today the Gothic style is guessed in the appearance of the temple, this is due to the fact that over the centuries the temple was rebuilt. It is decorated with two massive towers, and inside it attracts the attention of tourists with stained glass windows installed in the 16th century.
Travel to the world of architecture
Brussels shows the world and tourists a variety of buildings, traveling around the city you can get acquainted with almost all architectural styles. Gothic medieval buildings coexist with classics, the special pride of local residents are buildings in the Art Nouveau style, which was popular at the beginning of the 20th century. The Victor Hort Museum is a classic example of Art Nouveau, it was invented and built by the architect himself, one of the brightest representatives of this style.
There is a great opportunity to see the sights of Brussels, and the whole of Europe, at once - for this you need to plan a visit to the park called "Mini-Europe".
