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Brussels, Belgium
What to do in Brussels, Belgium
Grand Place
Bound by Baroque guild houses and a Gothic town hall, this square is the most beautiful in all the world. The Archduchess Isabella, daughter of Felipe II of Spain, wrote about her 1599 visit, "Never have I seen something so beautiful and exquisite as the town squareàthe decoration of the houses is most remarkable." There is a daily flower market, a Sunday bird market, and frequent musical performances.
Cathédrale St Michel et Ste Gudule
The city's principal church, built atop a hill, is a 13th-century structure named after the city's patron saints. It took more than 300 years to complete, which led to a mixture of styles that can be seen in its Gothic towers and Renaissance stained glass. The crypts and funerary monuments are masterpieces in their own right.
Manneken-Pis
At the corner of the Rue de l'Etuve and the Rue du Chene, stands the whimsical fountain statue of a little boyàrelieving himself. This statue has long been a beloved figure in Brussels and kings, presidents, and celebrities have given him costumes. The statue now has a wardrobe of more than 250 outfits, housed in the Musée Communal.
Royal Palace
The palace is built on the site of the former Palace of the Dukes of Brabant, which dated from the 11th century and was considered the most beautiful royal residence in Medieval Europe. Unfortunately, a fire burned it to the ground in 1731 under Austrian rule. William of Orange built this new palace in 1820, and it was redone by Leopold II at the start of the 20th century in the style of Louis XIV.
Royal Park
On the grounds of the Medieval Court of Brabant, where the modern Royal Palace now stands, was a warande, the forest park of the palace. The original was indeed a forest in the city, with hills and little valleys where wild game lived. Under Austrian rule, Empress Maria-Theresia agreed to turn the forest into a classical park of manicured gardens, statues, and geometric lines for the enjoyment of the upper classes.
Day Trip to Bruges
Although there is evidence that the area was inhabited as far back as Neolithic times, Bruges' history as a pre-eminent commercial and cultural center is marked by the great Dunkerque Floods of the 12th century, which swelled the Zwin into an ideal trade river. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the city became one of the richest in the world. Its population soared, its port welcomed ships from all over the world, its artisans produced tapestries, sculpture, paintings and lace of unparalleled splendor, and its wealthy citizens patronized the finest artists of the age. By the mid-16th century, all this changed with the silting of the Zwin and Bruges soon became a ghost of its former self. It remains an appealing medieval city rich in architectural and artistic treasures, graced by quiet canals. The Belfry is widely considered Belgium's finest, with a carillon that has rung every + hour for nearly 7 + centuries.
Day Trip to Antwerp
With the demise of Bruges in the 15th and 16th centuries, Antwerp emerged as the world's most important trading port. Ornate baroque mansions recall the city's thriving merchants, who commissioned tapestries, paintings, silverware, and sculptures. The Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady houses 2 masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens, Belgium's favorite son. Be sure to visit his Flemish Renaissance house and other attractions like the printing plant that houses priceless bibles, the Museum of Modern Sculpture, and the Diamond Museum. Antwerp is the center of the diamond industry, with more than 70% of the world's diamonds cut, polished, and traded here. A famous opera house, concerts, ballets, and theatres entertain the culturally hungry. For fun with the locals, join a group of pub crawlers and sample a few of the 400 kinds of beers!.
Day Trip to Ghent
Around the year 867, Baldwin Iron Arm, the first Count of Flanders, built a castle at the meeting of the Lieve and Leie rivers to thwart raiding Norsemen. A town soon grew up around the castle and by the 12th century it was a prosperous city. The cloth trade flourished and Ghent became an industrial city with the largest population in Europe. By the late 15th century, the cloth trade had begun to wane, though Ghent remained prosperous by shifting its economy to the shipping trade along the Leie and Scheldt rivers. Its historic center includes the intact medieval districts, many fine churches, and the imposing castle of the Counts of Flanders. The Cathedral of Saint Bavo, a work of art itself, contains the masterpiece entitled "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb," by the brothers Van Eyck.
Musée d'Art Moderne
Housed in an innovative subterranean feat of architecture, the collection is mostly that of 19th and 20th century Belgian and French artists like Gauguin, Seurat, and the surrealist Magritte. Picasso and Dali works are also on display.
Cinquantenaire Park
In 1880, Belgium celebrated its 50th year of Independence, prompting King Leopold II to celebrate and show the world how Belgium was prospering, willing and able to take its place among the important nations of Europe. This park resulted, full of monuments including those of 8 women representing each province of the small nation.
The Bread House
In the Grand Place, amid many other impressive buildings, stands the remarkable Broodhuis (Bread House), later known as the Maison du Roi (King's House). On this site in the 13th century stood a wooden house where bakers sold their bread, replaced in the 15th century by a stone house. When they began selling door to door, the Duke of Brabant took it over for administrative purposes. In 1515, Emperor Charles V rebuilt the "house" in flamboyant Gothic style. It now houses the City Museum.
Shopping
Belgians began producing high quality goods in the Middle Ages, and continue to do so to this day. Don't look for bargains, because you won't find any - if you're looking for excellent products, you're in for a thrill ride. Visit the Galeries St Hubert, which opened in 1846 as the first glass-ceilinged arcade (the birth of the shopping mall) in the world. Elegance is everywhere, from the architecture to the shops to the cafés to the clientele.