Sights
Autoworld, Grand Place, Atomium and Bruparck, Zavel District, Place Du Grand Sablon, Palais Royal, Musical Instrument Museum, Grote Markt District (Lower Area), The Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art, Cinquantenaire and European district, City Museum, Martelaarsplein Marché St Géry
The centre of the city can be divided into two parts: the upper town made
up of broad boulevards and stately buildings and the lower town a maze
of narrow medieval lanes surrounding the ornate 12th-century Grand Place
one of the most perfectly preserved of all market squares in Europe. The
many faces of Brussels are expressed in the four quarters of the city,
which are a must for every visitor.
First of all, there is the Lower Town, which extends from Manneken Pis
(statue of little boy urinating) via the Grand Place with its guild houses
and the town hall to the Botanique. The Royal District in the Upper Town
occupies the area between the Warande and the impressive Palace of Justice.
In the North of the City lies the Heizel with the Atomium and Bruparck.
Just outside the city centre you will find the Cinquantenaire park and
the European District. Cinquantenaire Park with its triumphal arch and
military art and history museums provides a calm respite from the bustle
of the city.
There are multiple interesting museums showing exhibitions relating to subjects such as Brussels' history, famous painters and even Brussels' comic cartoon art
Autoworld
Autoworld opens its doors and invites you to discover the automotive history through a unique and outstanding collection : more than 300 vehicles, of all origins.
Horse-drawn coaches, two-doors sport sedan from back in the Fifties, dream limos, popular cars… And let us not forget the Motorcycles and the Commercial vehicles!
A must for people who love old-timers. Open from 10am until 5pm (closed on Mondays) (November -March) From 10am until 6pm (closed on Mondays) (April - October)
type: general
address: Jubelpark/ Parc du Cinquantenaire 11
tel: 02 736 41 65
url: http://www.autoworld.be/
openings: until 5pm (closed on Mondays) (November -March) From 10am until 6pm (closed on Mondays) (April - October)
Grand Place
Grand Place is an obligatory stop on the
tour of Brussels. 18th century guild houses
ring this beautiful 13th century square. The
Maison du Roi, King’s House, can also be
found here. Inside, among other things,
are costumes that have been donated to
the famous Manneken Pis statue. Art
Nouveau is an architectural style that
never goes out of fashion. Many of
Brussels’ famous landmarks are built in the
style, including buildings along rue
Paul-Émile Janson and avenue Louise.
Victor Horta is often named as the most
influential Art Nouveau architect, and his
work is celebrated at the Musée Horta.
Address: Rue Américaine 25
Phone: +32 2 543 04 90
Internet: www.hortamuseum.be
Zavel District
This antiques district of Brussels, with the Gothic Zavelkerk and leading to the Kapellekerk, where Pieter Bruegel is buried. The painter lived and worked in the Marolles, the Brussel working-class district par excellence, with the Vossenplein at its heart, where a daily bric-a-brac, antique and flea market takes place. The Marolles district is dominated by the imposing Palace of Justice, which is also the largest public building in Europe. In the centre of this excellent antique district, you’ll find Brussels most fashionable neighbourhood, the Grand Sablon Square.
type: Quarters
Place Du Grand Sablon
This is a beautiful square with restaurants,
cafes and shops. The many antique stores
hold a market on weekends. Those looking
for more reasonably priced pieces should head to nearby Place du Jeu de Balle
Square.
Royal Museum of the Army and Military History
Open from 9am till 12am and from 1pm till 4:30pm (closed on Mondays). Entrance to the huge exhibition of military airplanes is free.
type: general
address: Jubelpark/ Parc du Cinquantenaire 3
tel: 02 737 79 07
Palais Royal
type: Historical Buidlings
address: Place des Palais
tel: +322 551 2020
Musical Instrument Museum
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) exhibits a large collection of musical instruments. It also offers a large diversity of activities and a hands on approach for children visiting the museum. The MIM is in the Old England Building, one of the nicest Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels. The nice cafeteria has a panoramic view over Brussels and is open for the public without entrance fee.
type: general
email: info@mim.fgov.be
address: Rue Montagne de la Cour 2, 1000 Brussels
openings: Tuesday to Thursday 9h30 à 17h; Saturday and Sunday 10h à 17h
tel: +32 / (0)2 / 545.01.30
url: http://www.mim.fgov.be/
At the heart of the city, this is where you’ll find the finest square and some of the finest buildings in Brussels. On the square is the 16th-century Maison du Roi (Broodhuis) now known as the Manneken-Pis Museum named for the country’s small 17th-century bronze statue of a boy relieving himself in the classic fountain pose. The Manneken-Pis Fountain itself is regarded by the Belgians with the reverence usually reserved for religious icons—there are some 100 outfits for the statue on display at the museum and there is considerable ceremony attached to changing the boy’s more..
type: Hotspots
The Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art
The history of comic strip art presented in a marvellous building. Nearby, in the Zandstraat, you will find the National Comic Strip Centre, better known as the Strip Museum. In this typical Art Nouveau house, you can see the work of over a hundred Belgian cartoon strip artists. Opening hours from 10am to 6pm.
type: Museums
address: Zandstraat / Rue des Sables 20
tel: 02 219 19 80
Cinquantenaire and European district
The headquarters of the European Commission and the European Council of Ministers is near the Schuman roundabout. The European Parliament is in the Leopoldwijk area.
The Triumphal Arch dominates the Cinquantenaire Park with the Royal Museum of Art and History, the Army Museum and Autoworld, the largest museum of old cars in the world. For the Museum of Natural Sciences, the most modern of its kind, you should go to the Waversesteenweg.
type: Quarters
City Museum
The Museum of the City of Brussel is housed in the Broodhuis. You can admire
early paintings by Breugel, as well as the entire wardrobe of Manneken Pis, Brussels'
most famous citizen. In the Stoofstraat behind the city hall, you will find the
statue of the little rascal, who has been pissing here since 1691. Open Monday
to Thursday (April to October) from 10am till 12.30pm and from 1.30pm till 5pm.
Monday to Thursday (Nov. to March ) till 4pm. Weekends from 10am till 1pm.
type: Museums
address: Grote Markt/ Grand'Place
tel: 02 279 43 50
Museum of Modern Art
This section houses works of art from the end of the 18th century up to the modern
period: paintings, sculptures and drawings. It represents the logical continuation
of the artistic evolution which starts in the Museum of Ancient Art. This particularity
of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium contributes to their originality.
The collections from the 19th century are exhibited in the neoclassical building
overlooking the place Royale (entrance to the Museum of Modern Art). The paintings
and sculptures on display are arranged on a thematic and chronological basis
and are more..
type: general
address: Koningsplein/ Place Royale 1-2
tel: 02 508 32 11
email: info@fine-arts-museum.be
url: http://www.fine-arts-museum.be/
openings: from 10h00 to 17h00
The Museum of Art and History
Open from 9.30 am until 17 pm (closed on Mondays) From 10 am until 17 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
type: Museums
address: Jubelpark/ Parc du Cinquantenaire 10
tel: 02 534 15 18
Museum of Ancient Art
Together with the Museum of Modern Art, this museum makes the nearly all comprising Museum of Fine Arts.
type: Museums
address: Regentschapsstraat/ Rue de la Régence 3
The Horta Museum
Open from 2pm to 5.30pm (closed on Mondays and holidays).
type: Hotspots
address: Amerikaanse Straat/ Rue Américaine 23-25
tel: 02 537 16 92
City Hall
The City Hall is probably the finest building in Brussels. You can visit several exhibitions on Brussels glorious past in the sumptuous rooms.
type: Historical Buidlings
address: Oude Markt
Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is Brussels' answer to the Statue of Liberty. The statue is smaller than you might expect.
A legend says that a man had lost his little son. He found the child after two days near the place where now the fountain of manneken-pis can be seen. When the father spotted his child, the latter was peeing. As a token of gratitude the father had the fountain with a statue of a peeing boy constructed.
Location: On the corner of Stoofstraat/Rue de L'Etuve and the Eikstraat/Rue du Chêne (At the Grand-Place follow the street on the left side of the town hall)
type: Statues
Marché St Géry
The former meat hall (that now houses several shops)
type: Historical Buidlings
address: place St Géry
The Martelaarsplein
The Martelaarsplein dates from the 18th century. A number of symmetrical buildings, recently restored, give this square a unique appearance. Behind one of the fine facades is the headquarters of the Flemish government.
type: Squares
Place de petit Sablon
type: Squares
Royal District
One easy landmark to find in this district is the Cathedral of Saint Gudule and Saint Michael. The building of this majestic cathedral church started in the 13th century. The cathedral was completed in the 15th century. The two complete towers are a striking feature, and are unusual for a Gothic church, and it has beautiful Renaissance leaded windows.
type: Quarters