Brussels
Brussels is a city known as the headquarters for NATO and the EU.
Brussels
Brussels is a city known as the headquarters for NATO and the EU. Brussels is a part of both French and Flemish Community. Majority of tourists hang around the old town in the Grand Place cobblestone square and its surrounding streets full of shops, cafés and hotels.
GRAND PLACE
The Grand Place is the central square in Brussels with architecture featured in Baroque, Gothic and Louis XIV style and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. It is surrounded by the Town Hall, Kings House and Guild Houses. The square is the most popular tourist destination in Brussels.
GUILD HOUSES OF BRUSSELS
Numerous guild houses at the Grand Place were built in the early 17th century after the destruction of the city by the French in 1695 and restored in the 19th century. The houses were used accordingly to his or her trade.
The name of the house are as follows - In the first picture from right to left: Le Roy d'Espagne, La Brouette, Le Sac, La Louve, Le Cornet and Le Ren.
In the second picture from right to left: Le Cerf, Joseph et Anne, L'Ange, La Chaloupe d'Or, Le Pigeon and Le Marchand d'Or.
In the third picture from right to left: Le Heaume, Le Paon, Le Petit Renard, Le Chêne, Sainte-Barbe and L'Âne.
BELGIAN BREWERS MUSEUM
The Museum of the Belgian Brewers is located in the House of L'Arbre d'Or - House of the Corporation of Brewers. Museum hours are Monday - Sunday from 10:00 - 17:00.
The name of the guild houses in the picture are as follow from right to left: L'Étoile, Le Cygne, L'Arbre d'Or, La Rose and Le Mont Thabor.
BRUSSELS CITY MUSEUM
Bread was originally sold in this building in the Maison du Roi guild house (The Bread House also known as the Kings House). The interior was renovated in 1985 and has housed the Brussels City Museum since 1887. Museum operating hours are Tuesday - Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00. The museum is closed on Mondays, January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11 and December 25.
BRUSSELS TOWN HALL
The Brussels Town Hall is the only remaining Medieval Gothic building on the square. The Town Hall is considered an historic monument since March 1936 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
HOUSE OF THE DUKES OF BRABANT
House of Dukes was home to the Carpet Makers, Tanners, Millers, Cartwrights, Sculptors, Masons, Stone-cutters and Slate-Cutters. It currently houses the square's only hotel.
MANNEKEN PIS
Manneken Pis is a bronze fountain statue of a little boy peeing into the fountain's basin. It is a 5 minute walk from the Grand Place at the junction of Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat and Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat. The statue is dressed in many costumes several times per week by the non-profit association The Friends of Manneken-Pis. Candy shops close by make it a habit to mimic the statue with creative edible chocolates and candies.
BRUSSELS STREET ART
Street art and graffiti can be found all over Brussels. Some artwork can be pretty dramatic with vibrant colors ranging from everyday life to out of this world art. Stroll along the city close to the Grand Place and you will be sure to find some interesting street art.
