Entertainment
in Brussels
Entertainment in Brussels - Things to do in Brussels
Grand
Place (Market place)
Many have said that Brussels boasts the most splendid market square
in all of Europe. Grand Places esplanade is mesmerizing and completely
enclosed by tall, gabled medieval buildings dripping with ornamentation
and statues. French-speakers refer to it as the 'Grand-Place', whereas
in Dutch it is called 'de grote Markt'. The tourists of the 20th century
are not alone in their admiration.
Atomium
This monument from 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. The belgian state plans to invest money to save this
symbol.
Location
Eeuwfeestlaan/ Boulevard du Centenaire 1020 Brussels (Laken)
Opening hours
Sept. to March: 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. April to August: 9 a.m. till 8p.m.
Maneken Pis
Manneken Pis represents Brussels' spirit of freedom just as
the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty are symbolic to the cities of
Paris and New York. The tiny statue was cast in bronze back in 1619
by Jerome Duquesnoy but, unfortunately, that statue was destroyed and
another was cast to replace it in 1630. There are many legends about
the Manneken. According to one of them a little boy had watered against
the door of a witch who lived where the fountain now stands 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)
La bourse (the stock exchange)
Architect Léon Suys designed the stately building La Bourse,
the stock exchange, in 1873, in the middle of the new Boulevards connecting
the railway stations. The classic style is characterised by six Doric
columns in front of the building and different sculptures represent
the trade at sea and domestic trade. This points to the function of
La Bourse, namely money trading.
Location
H. Mausstraat 2 Rue H. Maus Brussel, 1000
The Sablon Square
The Sablon is one of the most prestigious and attractive areas in Brussels.
In recent years it has become the center of the antiques shops and art
galleries. The name of this area refers to the time when it was still
situated outside of the city walls of the 12th century. It was originally
a sandy road along which people had access to the city gates. A visit
to WITTAMER, the most exclusive pastry maker in Brussels, is also a
must. If you like chocolate, try Pierre Marcolini chocolate shop...
he was winner of the World Chocolate Championship.
Mont des arts
The old Mont-des-Arts (Arts Hill) was wholly of stairs, bordered by
statues and trees, and connected uptown (Place Royale) and downtown
(Grand Place). In 1958, the Mont-des-Arts was reshaped and two enormous,
and according to many inhabitants, ugly buildings arose. One is the
the Congress Centre, the other one houses the Royal Library Albertinum,
where nearly 4 million books are kept. In a part of the library, you
can find also an old Dutch Nassau-chapel. Outside Mont-des-Arts there
is a big clock with moving statuettes. The chimes in the clock play
by turns - and following the good Belgian tradition - a Flemish and
a French song.
Palais de Justice
King Leopold II was an ambitious man. He was phenomenally rich (the
Congo was his private property - he left the colony to Belgium on his
death-bed, which turned our country into the fourth richest in the world!)
and tried to turn his capital into the most impressive in the world.
He paid for great monuments, such as the Parc du Cinquantenaire, out
of his own pocket. One of his favourite architects was Joseph Poelaert
(1811-1879), whom he instructed to build a nice Palace of Justice on
Galgenveld (Gallows Field, indeed the place where criminals used to
be hanged).
Stadhuis/Maison
Communale
Start your Brussels tour at the Town Hall
Grote Markt/Grand Place, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 279 43 55
Grote Zavel/Place du Grand Sablon
Elegant upmarket square
Grote Zavel/Grand Sablon, Brussel, 1050
Congreszuil/Colonne du Congrès
A dignified memorial to wars and their victims
Congresplein/Place du Congrès, Brussel, 1000
Jeanneke Pis
Not as famous as her better half
Schuddeveldgang/Impasse Schuddeveld, Brussel, 1000
Vismêt
The heart of Brussels seafood
Sint-Katelijneplein/Place Sainte-Catherine, Brussel, 1000
Kunstberg/Mont-des-Arts
With bilingual chimes!
Brussel, 1000
Beenhouwersstraat/Rue des Bouchers
The doors are always open
Brussel, 1000
De Beurs/La Bourse
The Stock Exchange
H. Mausstraat 2 Rue H. Maus, Brussel, 1000
Europese Instellingen/Quartier européen
Brussels, capital of Europe
Brussel, 1000
+32 2 284 21 11 (Europees Parlement/Hémicycle européen)
De Marollen/Les Marolles
The real Brussels
Brussel, 1000
Evrard 't Serclaes
A local hero - and a good luck charm
Grote Markt 8 Grand Place, Brussel, 1000
Manneken Pis
A wee boy who attracts attention from all
Rue de L'Etuve/Stoofstraat, Brussel, 1000
Castles, Palaces and Historic Buildings
Egmontpaleis/Palais d'Egmont
Meeting point for foreign heads of state
Kleine Zavel 8 Place du Petit Sablon, Brussel, 1000
Grote Markt/Grand Place
Most splendid and mesmerizing square
Grote Markt/Grand Place, Brussel, 1000
Justitiepaleis/Palais de Justice
Gargantuan, elephantine - a great building
Poelaertplein/Place Poelaert, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 508 65 78
Brussels Nightlife
Bars
A La Mort Subite
The real thing
Warmoesberg 7 rue Montagne-aux-Herbes-Potagères, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 513 13 18
Le Greenwich
Chess-players are real people!
Kartuizersstraat 7 rue des Chartreux, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 511 41 67
De Dolle Mol
Traditional 'brown' bar
Spoormakersstraat 52 Rue des Eperonniers, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 513 54 89
Bar Llanes
Nice Spanish bar
Kolenmarkt 88 rue du Marché aux Choux, Brussel, 1000
AB Café
Pop Temples bar
Steenstraat 23 rue des Pierres, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 548 24 55
De Markten
HQ of Flemish life in Brussels
Oude Graanmarkt 5 Vieux Marché aux Grains, Brussel, 1000
+32 2 512 34 25
