Its reception rooms and aldermen's chambers contain beautiful Brussels tapestries from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, sumptuous Gothic woodwork, coats of arms of the old guilds and paintings from the City of Brussels museum's collections.Ĭity of Brussels Town Hall The Bois de la Cambre In 1695, during the bombardment of the city by Louis XIV's troops, the town hall was burned down, but the walls and the tower remained standing. This City of Brussels laid the first stone of the sumptuous building back in 1401. Admire the accuracy of its proportions, the countless sculptures that adorn its facades and the incomparable brilliance of its tower, whose spire supports the archangel Saint Michael, the city's protector. Of all of the town halls in the country, the City of Brussels town hall is undoubtedly one of the most majestic! This Gothic building, built in the 15th century, is enhanced by its setting on the Grand-Place, often described as the most beautiful square in the world. The fragments were used to make the statuette that now adorns the ancient fountain.
In 1817, the statuette, stolen this time by a pardoned French convict, was found broken. Louis XV was informed of this and offered him a rich suit of gold brocade as reparation for this outrage and awarded him the Cross of Saint Louis. Two years later, he was stolen by the French. He was first removed by the English in 1745. Unfortunately, Manneken-Pis has suffered from numerous acts of vandalism. The oldest was donated by the Elector of Bavaria in 1698. The proud owner of countless costumes and decorations, his wardrobe includes some 1,000 pieces, which can be admired at the GardeRobe MannekenPis, a museum opened in 2017. It has become customary to dress the little man up for special occasions and festivities. In addition to its purely material aspect, Manneken-Pis gradually took on the symbolic roles of protector of the city and spokesman for the people of Brussels, embodying them with an often mischievous and irreverent tone. From being a public fountain, it now has legendary status. Also known as 'Petit Julien', due to confusion with another fountain, het Julianekensborre, it was, since the Middle Ages, one of the many fountains supplying the city with water. This little bronze statue, produced in the 17th century by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, is the current embodiment of the rebellious spirit of Brussels. The Atomium ticket automatically includes the entrance to the Design Museum Brussels (150m away). On the inside the Atomium offers, not just the most beautiful view of Brussels, but also an entirely astounding and surreal ride through its interior spaces and volumes which alone makes a visit worth it. Representing an iron unit cell (9 iron atoms) magnified 165 billion times, the monument with its unique silhouette has, over time, grown to become the symbol of Brussels and Belgium. Halfway between sculpture and architecture, the Atomium was designed and built for the Brussels World's Fair (1958), for which it was the flagship building and emblem. The Grand-Place of Brussels has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. It underwent further major renovations and modifications during the following centuries, especially in the 19th century, which gave it its current appearance. It was bombarded by Louis XIV's troops in 1695 and was subsequently almost entirely rebuilt. Even more so than at present, the square was the nerve centre of Brussels life: economically, as already mentioned, with intense sales activity (several halls devoted to the sale of bread - the present King's House or Broodhuis in Dutch -, meat, linen, etc.), culturally (theatrical performances), judicially (with executions taking place on the square) and, of course, local politics. The splendid Gothic town hall was built in the 15th century in three phases the same 15th century saw the installation of trade guilds in the houses that border the Grand-Place. Gradually, the square was filled with houses and halls, then primarily made of wood. Its story began as a market square in the 12th century. or symbolic events, such as the celebration of sportsmen and women after fine performances. Today, it still has a political and administrative function as it houses the City of Brussels Town Hall, which remains the workplace of the mayor and most of their aldermen.Īs a prestigious venue, it hosts many festive events - concerts, fairs, folklore events, the Christmas tree and nativity scene, sound and light shows, the flower carpet in the summer, etc. Often considered the most beautiful square in the world, the Grand-Place of Brussels' reputation precedes it!
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