Discussion on defining district borders for Brussels is underway. If you know the city, please share your opinion on the talk page.

Brussels is a huge city with several district articles that contain information about specific sights, restaurants, and accommodation.

Brussels (French: Bruxelles, Dutch: Brussel) is the capital of Belgium and one of the three administrative regions within the country, together with Flanders and Wallonia. Apart from its role within its country, it is also an internationally important city, hosting numerous international institutions, and in particular the core institutions of the European Union. Due to that, it is sometimes referred to informally as the capital of the EU, and even used as a metonym for the EU institutions.

Brussels blends the heritage of a medieval Flemish town with the grandiose projects initiated after it became the capital of what was then a French-speaking country, as well as some impressive modern architecture erected in a large part to house the international institutions. Brussels is now bilingual, hosting and officially recognizing the Dutch- and French-speaking communities of Belgium, and has become increasingly international with the influx of people of various origin who came there to work, many of them for the European Union. This all makes Brussels a rather unique blend, sprinkled with a number of Belgian peculiarities, and for the inquisitive tourist a large treasure chest to discover.

When Brussels became the capital city of a new country in the 19th century, large parts of the old town were destroyed to make way for brand new ministries, palaces, schools, army barracks and office blocks constructed between 1880 and 1980. The medieval city walls that once defended and surrounded the city were demolished. Only a small historic centre (one square and four adjacent streets) was preserved. The historic Flemish town centres are better preserved in cities like Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, and Mechelen. This thoughtless treatment of historic buildings has earned past city planners near-universal scorn and even given rise to the term "Brusselization" for cities that similarly tear down old buildings, replacing them with faceless concrete monstrosities.

Language in Brussels can be a confusing matter to visitors. The common language is French, with around 90% of the population in Brussels speaking it passably to fluently. You can easily get by with English, especially in the tourist areas. Dutch is also an official language: within Brussels, the population that speaks Dutch passably to fluently is limited to around 20%, though Dutch-speakers make up the majority of Belgium as a whole. Because Brussels is the country's capital, when it comes to official matters, French and Dutch have equal status in Brussels, with sometimes complicated rules to ensure a balance between the two. Streets, railway stations, bus stops and other places have names in the two languages. The two names don’t always sound or look similar. For example, the Brussels-South railway station is Bruxelles-Midi in French and Brussel-Zuid in Dutch. Watch out when making assumptions based on English: a common mistake is to think Bruxelles-Midi refers to the Brussels-Central railway station, due to midi seeming similar to middle. Areas outside of Brussels have only one official language, but may still have distinct names in the other language. For example, you may get a train ticket that lists Anvers (in French) as the destination, but the signs in the station there will only say Antwerpen (in Dutch). In Brussels, large segments of the population have neither French nor Dutch as their mother tongue, and many other languages can be heard on the street, with Arabic being particularly common.

Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels became more and more French-speaking during the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, most inhabitants speak French in daily life. Some numbers say that more than half of the inhabitants of Brussels do not speak French at home. The Brussels dialect, a Brabantian dialect of Dutch, can be heard, especially in the outer districts of Brussels Capital Region. The French spoken is standard French. Dutch speakers speak standard Dutch but many also speak a dialect when talking to people from their region.

English has become a common spoken language because of the international institutions based in Brussels, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and NATO. It is still relatively rare to find written tourist or general information in English, although the situation is changing. One can expect public announcements in train stations to at least be said in French and Dutch, while larger train stations (such as Zuidstation/Gare du Midi) typically include English and German. English is also used on metros, trams and buses, announced last for information such as line transfers and terminal stops. Do not hesitate to ask someone if you do not understand what has been said.

Considering the city's location and that it markets itself as the capital of Europe, spoken English is less prevalent in Belgium than in its Dutch neighbour. However, even if it is not as widely spoken as one may expect, it is nonetheless widely understood. As is often the case elsewhere, success in finding someone who speaks English depends on several factors such as age (14-35 year-olds are most likely to speak English), education and previous experience abroad.

German is also an official language in Belgium spoken as a mother tongue by about 70,000 people in the east of the country bordering Germany, but the only German you're likely to hear in Brussels would be overheard on the streets around the European institutions or by German tourists, even if there is a large German population residing there.

Other languages that are increasingly heard in Brussels include Arabic (at least 25% of Brussels' population is of Arab descent, chiefly from Morocco), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, and Russian.

Brussels' weather deservedly has a poor reputation. Rainfall is frequent and fairly evenly distributed over the seasons, although spring (March - May) and autumn (September - November) tend to see the most rain. With an annual rainfall of 820 mm spread over approximately 200 rainy days per year, the city gets to endure more rain than neighboring capitals Paris or London, and that regular rainfall makes the climate damp. Under high humidity, the rare warm days tend to feel uncomfortably hot, and the many cold days feel colder than elsewhere.

The best season to visit Brussels would be from late spring to early autumn, generally half May to half September would yield the highest chance of sunny weather. However, even the summer months are not immune from rain and can be very unpredictable: you can be lucky and enjoy a few dry days, but there is an equal chance you'll be confronted with rain for days on end. Bring ample waterproof clothes, preferably with long sleeves. Wet clothes don't dry easily in Brussels' humid climate and infrequent sunshine, so if you get wet, you'll probably have to sustain damp clothes for the rest of the day. An umbrella is an essential accessory in every season! Daily temperature variations are always below 10°C, so you typically don't have to worry about changing into something warmer/cooler over the course of the day. In summer, the average temperature is about 22°C, but don't take it as clothing advice: one week you might experience autumn weather and 15°C, and the next you might (briefly) enjoy 30°C or more! After October, temperatures drop off quite quickly, and sunny days become rare (In December 2017, Brussels shattered the European record for least amount of sunshine in a month).

However, snowfall is uncommon in winter, with 3 - 5 snowy days per year at best, although there have been years with no snowfall at all. Snow usually falls overnight, and not more than a few cm at a time. It tends to melt within a few hours, gradually turning from a idillic landscape into a brown watery slush that is unpleasant to walk through. When visiting Brussels in winter, bring suitable footwear. Gloves are also recommended, particularly on a bike or while holding a map.

Brussels has as many indoor as outdoor activities to offer, so even if it turns out to rain every day of your visit, you'll find more than enough to do to make the visit worthwhile. The Buienradar (literally Shower Radar) shows the real time location of rain clouds and calculates predictions of their movements. The radar can tell when it will start to rain at your position with a 10 minute accuracy, and is a great tool for planning out your day.

Although Brussels is best explored by foot or by bike, the public transport network is the best option when it's raining. Museums and other attractions are rarely more than 10 minutes walking away from a metro station, so a map of the metro network in combination with the Buienradar can keep you dry through adequate planning. If you're caught by surprise, metro stations are excellent places to seek shelter from the rain, and the larger stations have facilities where you can purchase a hot beverage while waiting (De Brouckere, Centraal Station, Montgomery, and so on). Chains like Starbucks, Panos, McDonalds and the likes don't care if you occupy a table without making a purchase, so these are good options to sit out longer showers.

Brussels is split into 19 communes or gemeenten (municipalities/boroughs):

• Bruxelles/Brussel - Brussels offers many charming and beautiful attractions, with deeply ornate buildings on the Grand Place/Grote Markt, and a fish-and-crustacean overdose of St. Catherine's Square (Place St-Catherine/Sint-Katelijneplein). Stroll along, (and stop in for a drink) at one of the many bars on Place St-Géry/Sint-Goriksplein, or max out your credit card on the trendy Rue Antoine Dansaert/Antoine Dansaertstraat.

• Marolles/Marollen - A neighbourhood of Brussels close to the city's heart, one of the few places where the Brussels dialect of Dutch (Flemish) could still be heard. The area is best known for the flea market held daily on the Place du Jeu de Balle/Vossenplein and for a plethora of shops selling everything from old radios and bent wipers to fine china and expensive Art Nouveau trinkets. Visit on Saturdays or Sundays.

• Brussels/Ixelles-Elsene - A vibrant part of town with a high concentration of restaurants, bars and other services to satisfy the good-looking or the heavy-spending. Some wandering around will reveal small bookshops, affordable ethnic restaurants or independent record shops tucked away in side streets. The Matongé district just off Chaussée d'Ixelles/Elsenesteenweg is the city's main African neighbourhood. It is a large district in the South of Brussels spreading from newly gentrified immigrant neighbourhoods off the Chaussée d'Ixelles/Elsenesteenweg near the town centre to leafy suburbs close to the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos. The district is split in two by Avenue Louise/Louizalaan, which is part of the Bruxelles/Brussel district of the city.

• Molenbeek/Molenbeek - Commonly known as Molenbeek-St-Jean or Sint-Jans-Molenbeek. A commune with a very large Moroccan and, lately, Romani (Gypsy) population.

• Saint-Gilles/Sint-Gillis - The city's bohemian epicentre with thriving French, Portuguese, Spanish, Maghrebi and Polish communities. The area around the Parvis de St-Gilles/St-Gillisvoorplein is the arty part, with the area around the Chatelain/Kastelein and the Church of the Holy Trinity being decidedly more yuppified. Like Schaerbeek, Saint-Gilles boasts several Art Nouveau and Haussmann-style buildings.

• St-Josse/Sint-Joost - The smallest and poorest commune not only of Brussels, but of all Belgium, this commune might not always be too pleasing on the eye but does have a few small, welcoming streets. The mid-part of the Chaussée de Louvain/Leuvensesteenweg is also home to a relatively small Indo-Pakistani community, so this is the place to head to for a tikka masala. The Turkish community which was the largest community only a few years ago has declined rapidly, as they moved to relatively wealthier communes by St-Josse/Sint-Joost standards.

• Uccle/Ukkel - Brussels' poshest commune. Green, bourgeois and starched like all posh communes should be. Uccle has retained many of its charming medieval cul-de-sacs, tiny squares and small townhouses as has nearby Watermael-Boitsfort/Watermaal-Bosvoorde.

• Woluwé-Saint-Pierre/Sint-Pieters-Woluwe and Woluwé-Saint-Lambert/Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe are two communes at the eastern end of the city. Mainly residential, with a mixture of housing blocks, quaint neighbourhoods and green areas this place is well-loved by Eurocrats and other professional types. The enormous Wolubilis cultural complex is well worth a visit.

• 50.8450184.3578571 Use-it (Central Office), Galerie Ravenstein 25, 1000 Brussels (next to the Central Station). M-Sa 10:00–18:30. Excellent information provided by young locals, and this central office has nice facilities, free coffee and free wifi. The best source for solo travelers. Maps and information about the European Use-it network. Free walking tour every Monday at 14:00. 

• Brussels International (Brussels Info Place), Rue Royale/Koningsstraat 2, ☏ +32 2 513-89-40, [email protected]. 10:00-18:00. 

• Brussels International (Tourism and Congress), Town Hall Grand-Place, ☏ +32 2 513-89-40, fax: +32 2 513-83-20, [email protected]. 09:00-18:00; Sundays: winter 10:00-14:00, Jan 1-Easter closed. It's inside the town hall and usually crammed. Sells a couple of discount booklets or cards, such as the Brussels Card and public transport one-day passes 

• Brussels International (Midi/Zuid station) (Central concourse). Winter: M-Th 08:00-17:00, F 08:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-18:00, Su & holidays 09:00-14:90; Summer: Sa-Th 08:00-20:00, F 08:00-20:00. 

• Brussels International (Brussels Airport), Arrival hall. 08:00-21:00. 

Brussels' main airport is 50.9013894.4844441 Brussels Airport (BRU ^IATA also referred to as Brussels National or Zaventem after the municipality it is in).   It has connections to pretty much all European capitals and many other major cities, but the intercontinental offering, while growing dramatically since the early 2010s, is very limited compared to Europe's other aviation hubs. Belgium's flag carrier Brussels Airlines, which operates an extensive network of flights within Europe, also offers long-haul flights to North America and, quite uniquely for a European airline, many African destinations. Major North American carriers also offer flights to Brussels, as do a few Asian ones.

Direct connections to Asia are decent, while those from and to Latin America are almost non-existant, so you most likely have to change at an intermediate airport, and may want to consider using one of the Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad and Qatar all serve Brussels) or change in one of Europe's major hubs like London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle or Schiphol. The latter two can also be reached by a direct train from Brussels. Turkish Airways (via Istanbul-Atatürk) and Finnair (via Helsinki) also have particularly developed networks of connections to the Far Ea, while Madrid is the best option to fly to Latin America.t.

• Belgian Rail operates trains (2nd class: Single: €8,80; Weekend return: €15,20; 1st class: €10.70) every 15 min from the airport (Level -1) to Brussels' three main stations, with most trains continuing to other parts of Belgium. The journey to the and  M1  M5  Central Station takes 15-20 minutes. Tickets can be bought from vending machines (coins or PIN cards only) or the train ticket office (notes accepted) in the airport train station at Level -1. The trains are clean and well-maintained. To enter or exit the train, push the green button on the door, as the doors are not automatically opened at the stations as they are in other systems.

• MIVB/STIB buses 12 and 21 (12 operates M-F before 20:00 and is an express, serving only major bus stops (although it is not any faster); 21 operates after 20:00 and on weekends, serving all stops on the route) run every 20-30 minutes via metro station Schuman (where you can transfer to metro lines 1 and 5) to the European district around Place du Luxembourg/Luxemburgplein (on the other side of the park from Gare Central). When boarding the bus make sure that the destination is Luxembourg, as some buses terminate at either the Schuman metro station or Gare de Bordet. The journey takes 30 minutes. The same ticket is valid for a total of 60 minutes on the trains (by SNCB), metro (by STIB), buses (by STIB, De Lijn and TEC) or trams (by STIB) from the moment it is validated. The buses depart from airport level 0. The ticket price is €4.50 from the vending machine next to the bus stop, or €6 on board. Frequent travellers can buy a 10-trip ticket (€32.) The "GO" ticket vending machines only accept coins or PIN based cards.

• De Lijn buses 272 and 471 run every 30-60 minutes to Brussels' North Station (called Noordstation/Gare du Nord within the city or Brussel-Noord/Bruxelles-Nord in other places), 2 km north of Grand Place. Night bus 620 operates to/from the airport with a stop at the  M2  M6  IJzer metro station (45 minute ride), 1 km north of Grand Place. The buses depart from level 0 of the airport. The ticket price is €3 on board. In contrast to the tickets sold by MIVB/STIB, these tickets (sold by Flemish regional bus operator De Lijn) are not valid on other means of public transport within Brussels.

• Taxis to the center cost around €35. Taxis bleus/blauw (blue): +32 2 268 0000, Taxis Autolux: +32 2 411 4142, Taxis verts/groen (green): +32 2 349 4949. Beware of "waiting" charges if your flight is delayed and you pre-ordered a cab, some companies charge you parking fees + €25-30/hour for waiting. Always confirm the final charge with your driver before getting in the car. It is not uncommon for drivers to rip you off and charge €80 to go to the center, especially if they realize that it is your first time in Brussels and don't know your way around.

Brussels Airport has a luggage locker service (Level 0) where you can leave luggage for a fixed duration. The lockers say that you will have to retrieve your bags within 72 hours or else they will be removed, but they are actually moved to the room next door and stored until you retrieve them. This is a useful facility for people wanting to stow away big suitcases somewhere safe. The rate is €7.50 per 24 hours. You must pay in coins, a change machine is nearby.

50.46934.47042 Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL ^IATA) (42 km (26 mi) south of Brussels). Several budget airlines, including Ryanair and Wizzair operate service from this airport to cities such as Barcelona, Belgrade, Budapest, Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, Rome, Sofia, and Warsaw.  

To travel between the airport and the city:

• Brussels City Shuttle operates buses (€14 one-way, €28 return if bought online; €17 one-way if purchased from the machines at the airport or from the driver) every 30 minutes to Brussels Midi/Zuid station, with a journey time of 1 hour (less during weekends). Buying online is cheaper and faster. The bus stops at Midi/Zuid station (Midi/Zuid station PDF map), on the Rue de France/Frankrijkstraat in the west. The metro and international trains (Eurostar, Thalys) are on the west side of the station, so upon entering the station from the bus stop, head left rather than straight. When traveling to the airport, it would be better to arrive at the Brussels Midi/Zuid stop far in advance of the bus departure time as the queue to board the bus could be very long (there are no ticket machines and people buy tickets on board). Therefore you might miss the bus and wait another 30 minutes. Also note that the traffic on the way out of Brussels can be heavy in peak hours, so the journey may take longer than planned.

• TEC-bus A (€5 one way) operates service from the airport to the Charleroi South (Charleroi-Sud) train station, from where you can connect to an intercity train (€9.20 one way) to Brussels. A combined train+bus ticket to or from Brussels can be obtained for €14.20 from the TEC vending machine at the airport. The bus journey takes 20 minutes and the train takes an additional hour. Trains depart every 30-60 minutes.

• Taxis from the airport to the city center cost a fixed price of €90. For the return trip to Charleroi you can book in advance a Charleroi-based taxi (€90). Taxis operating from Brussels use a higher fare and will take you to the airport for a fixed price of €120 or based on the meter up to €170.

High speed rail and the central location of Brussels amid many major European cities make it entirely feasible to fly into several other airports and take the train from there. Depending on your itinerary, this may be both faster and cheaper, as connections may align better.

• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG ^IATA) has a direct high-speed train (TGV) connection to Brussels. TGV trains departing every three hours from CDG arrive at Brussels-Midi within ~1.5 hours. Book tickets early for the best prices. Alternatively, it is possible to access Brussels from Paris-CDG with TGV trains from French cities like Nice and Lyon. Most of these trains call at the airport.
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS ^IATA) also has a high-speed train connection to Brussels-Midi, provided by Thalys. Ride time is also around 1.5 hr, but the frequency is hourly and the costs can be lower (even down to €30) depending on the time of travel and booking.
• Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN ^IATA) is a little less than 2 hours by a direct train, departing 3 times a day and costing around €50
• Antwerp Airport (ANR ^IATA) is quite close to Brussels, getting from there requires one to take a bus to Antwerpen-Berchem station (takes 10 minutes, buses depart approximately ever 12 minutes), from where a train to Brussels departs every 20 minutes and takes less than 40. A single ride bus ticket in Antwerp is €3 and the train ticket to Brussels can be had for just €10, making the journey almost as cheap as getting to Brussels from Zaventem.
• Liège Airport (LGG ^IATA) can be reached by trains between Brussels and Liege (running every 30 minutes and taking about 1 hour), but you need to take a bus or a taxi between one of Liege's train stations and LGG, which extends the journey to over 1.5 hours.

Brussels has five main railway stations:

• 50.8364684.3347243 Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid — This station is where the high-speed trains stop. There is a shower room at Midi/Zuid located in the toilet near platforms 19-20 (between Origin'O and Quick).
• 50.8455484.3570934 Bruxelles-Central / Brussel-Centraal
• 50.8604964.3617325 Bruxelles-Nord / Brussel-Noord
• 50.8432134.3810416 Bruxelles-Schuman / Brussel-Schuman
• 50.8379964.3735097 Bruxelles-Luxembourg / Brussel-Luxemburg — On the opposite end of the European quarter, at the Esplanade of the European Parliament, it is the next station on the same line as Schuman and has the same services stopping there. The name stems from the fact that all trains to Luxembourg, as mentioned above, go through there.

Apart from the above, there are also stations of Brussels-Congress, Brussels-Chapel and Brussels-West, as well as stations in municipalities of the Brussels region that do not have "Brussels" in their name (e.g. Schaerbeek, Evere) which only see limited local service by RER trains.

International train services to Belgium include:

•  TLY  Thalys. The high speed Thalys train connects Brussels with Cologne (1hr 52min), Paris (1hr 20min) and Amsterdam (2hr). It is much cheaper to book further in advance. With your Thalys ticket you can also take a local train to or from Central-Centraal, Nord-Noord, Schuman and Luxembourg/Luxemburg stations. 

• Intercity from Luxembourg. An hourly Intercity train from Luxembourg (3hr 07min, via Arlon, Libramont, Namur) connects to Midi/Zuid, Central, Nord/Noord, Schuman and Luxembourg/Luxemburg stations. You don't need a reservation. A weekend return ticket costs €41.60. 

•  EUS  Eurostar, ☏ +32 2 528-28-28. The Eurostar train line links Lille Europe (0hr 39min, €22+), Ashford (1hr 38min, £32+) and London St. Pancras (1hr 51min, £32+) with Midi/Zuid. Some Eurostar tickets are also valid for domestic train travel within Belgium for 24 hr from the time of the Eurostar ticket. Check in the bottom left hand corner of your ticket to confirm this. A €7 service fee will be added for telephone and in-person bookings (but doesn't apply when booking over the Internet). 

•  ICE  ICE. German ICE connects four times a day to Cologne and Frankfurt (€39 one way, "Europa Spezial Belgien" offer starting from €29). 

• TGV. Connects Lyon, Marseille, Avignon, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nice and many other French destinations to Midi/Zuid. 
• Izy. Izy is a subsidiary of Thalys marketed as low cost. Trains are only available on the Paris-Brussels route and there are less departures than for other operators, but prices can be the cheapest of all train options. from €19 for a regular seat; €15 for a folding seat, €10 without a guarantee of a seat. (updated Sep 2016)

Belgium has one of the most dense and best developed railway networks in Europe. Domestic trains are operated by the national railway operator NMBS/SNCB (hotline: +32 2 528-2828). Besides simple one-way tickets there is a bewildering variety of tickets available depending on the exact route (returns are cheaper, there are also "all Belgium" tickets), frequency, your age and occupation (students get discounts) and departure time (travel after 09:00 and on weekends is usually cheaper).

Frequencies and approximate travel times from Brussels Central station to selected cities in Belgium:

• Antwerp - 6x/hour, 40min-1hr 15min
• Arlon - 1xhour, 2hr 50min
• Bruges - 2x/hour, below 1hr 10min (the service to Kortrijk also continues to Bruges, but it takes twice as much time)
• Charleroi - 2x/hour, 1 hour
• Dinant - 1x/hour from Brussels-Schuman (not Central), 1.5 hours (you can also go from Central to Namur and change to Dinant there, travel time is longer by 15 minutes that way)
• Gent - 6x/hour, 40min-1hr 10min
• Kortrijk - 3x/hour 1hr 20min-1h45min (plus one extra connection per hour with a change Gent, 1hr 20min)
• Leuven - 5x/hour, 25 min
• Liege - 2x/hour, 1hr -1hr 30min
• Mechelen - 7x/hour, 25-30 min
• Namur - 2x/hour, 1hr 10min (+1/hour from Brussels-Schuman, same travel time)
• Ostend - 2x/hour, 1hr 20min (or with a change in Gent - 2x/hour, 1hr 40min)
• Waterloo - 2x/hour direct local train, 30min (or via Braine-L'Alleud, with a change from Intercity to local train - 2x/hour, total travel time below 40min)

All three major stations in Brussels are very busy and there are trains departing in many directions almost every minute. If you are on the platform, do check if the train you are boarding is the one you intend to, as it may be the one that departs just those few minutes are earlier. Be vigilant for last-minute platform changes. As the announcements for many trains (except for major international services and trains to Brussels Airport) are made in French and Dutch only, it is worthwhile to pay attention to departure displays. Always memorize the name of your destination in both French and Dutch to easily recognize it - the name as you may know it in English might not be used at all.

Several bus operators offer long-distance connections to Brussels. The station for long distance coach services is 50.861354.359938 Brussels North CCN in a narrow street to the north-west of the railway station bearing the same name. While waiting for a connecting coach, the 50.859984.359631 Starbucks inside the station can offer warmth and power sockets without the obligation to buy their overpriced drinks.

• 50.860614.359499 Eurolines, ☏ +32 2 274-1350, fax: +32 2 201-1140. Offers bus travel from many countries to Brussels, for example 8 hours from London Victoria station at €39. In Brussels, they stop outside the Gare du Nord-Noordstation and Gare du Midi-Zuidstation train stations. They have an office with toilets, heating, and a spare power socket under the staircase of the railway station left entrance. 

• OUIBUS, ☏ +32 70 300-042. Runs a couch service between Paris, Lille and Brussels. Busses arrive at the Gare du Midi/Zuid Station. 

• De Lijn, ☏ +32 70 220-200. The Flemish region (Dutch speaking) public bus service. (updated Sep 2016)

• TEC, ☏ +32 10 23-5353. The Walloon region (French speaking) public bus company. 
• Flixbus. A German company with a network throughout most of Europe. Offers services to numerous German destinations, Paris, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Bratislava and London. Unlike Eurolines they do not have an office in the station, but they routinely set up a mobile info desk manned by staff in an easily recognizable bright green outfits, somewhere along the boarding area. (updated Aug 2016)

Brussels is connected to Tervuren by tram  44 , following the trajectory of the Tervuren Avenue (Tervurenlaan) between 50.82974.513110 Tervuren station  44  and 50.837834.4075411  M1  Montgomery  7  25  27  39  44  61  80  81  N06  metro station. The scenic 10 km long journey through the Sonian Forest takes about 20 minutes, with a frequency of 5 trams per hour. A single ticket is €2.10, and allows you to get off at any station along the way and back on the next tram within the ticket validity of an hour. Tickets can be purchased in Tervuren station or from the tram driver at an additional fee.

Brussels can also be reached from Kraainem by tram  39 , which connects  M1  Montgomery  7  25  27  39  44  61  80  81  N06  metro station to the 50.84224.502512 Ban-Eik  39  station and traverses Kraainem halfway. Get on at stop 50.84474.466813 Wilderozenweg  39 , on a walking distance of Kraainem's tourist attractions, and take tram  39  direction Montgomery. Travel time is approx. 15 minutes. As with tram  44 , a ticket costs €2.10, can be purchased in advance or from the tram driver at an additional fee, and remains valid for an hour.

Brussels metro line  M1  extends until Kraainem, from which Brussels can be reached from 50.84884.458614  M1  Kraainem metro station which is closest to Kraainem's tourist attractions, and from 50.8424.464115  M1  Stokkel metro station closer to Kraainem's commercial district Stokkel. Tavel time to the Brussels Grand Place from Kraainem station is about 25 minutes. A single ticket Jump costs €2.10. Tickets must be purchased from a GO vending machine in either Kraainem or Stokkel metro station, and can only be paid with euro coins or Maestro compatible cards. Bills are not accepted.

Brussels is the third capital on Eurovelo Route 5, which starts in London, through Brussels and Switzerland and ends in southern Italy. A number of other international and national cycle routes converge on Brussels.

50°50′49″N 4°21′5″E

Map of Brussels

Most sights in Brussels are fairly close together, within reasonable walking distance of each other. The oldest part of town can have uneven cobblestone roads, but the rest of the city is fairly easy to walk. A zone of 50 hectares in the city center is reserved for pedestrians, the second largest in Europe after Venice. Brussels has many wet days, and in winter small amounts of snow can make the ground slushy, so water-resistant footwear is a must if you will be out walking all day.

Bicycles are an excellent way to get from the city center to attractions outside the 'pentagone'. Although the Brussels weather isn't always equally favorable for cyling, bikes are often faster than public transport, particuarly for short distances. The cycling infrastructure is fairly poorly developed in comparison to cities of similar size like Amsterdam or Bristol, and the elevation of Brussels might be challenging to inexperienced cyclists. Brussels' most valuable transport asset is, arguably, the Villo bicycle sharing system.

Villo is Brussels' public bicycle sharing system. It consists of 5 000 bicycles in the Brussels capital region, making it one of the largest in the world, with an infrastructure of 360 stations. Cycles can be rented out in any station and returned to the same or any other station, making it a convenient solution for point-to-point travel (as opposed to the NMBS BlueBike scheme which requires return to the same station, making it only suitable for round trip journeys).

Villo bicycles are well equipped to deal with the poor Belgian roads: they have punction-resistant tires and a covered chain drive, and are in addition also equipped with a basket for cargo transport and automatic lights. Each bike has 7 gears and dual disc brakes to tackle hills around the city and reach destinations with higher elevation. Unfortunately, the frame is rather heavy, accounting to a total weight of 22 kg. A decent physical condition is recommended!

To rent a Villo, a ticket must be purchased at a station. Not all stations issue tickets, which leads to confusion. Tickets are available for 1 or 3 days, and permit an unlimited number of rides. With a cost of € 1.60 per day, this makes Villo the cheapest method of transportation after walking. Week passes are also available at € 7.65. As Villo is intended for short trips, you will be billed € 0.50 per half hour after the first half hour (the first half hour being free). This is of course easily avoided by returning your bike to a station before the first half hour expires, and immediately renting another bike from the same station, resetting the counter.

Purchasing a ticket goes as follows:

• Find a station that issues tickets, press the 5 button to change the language to English.
• Initiate the procedure to buy a ticket, and press 0 to get to the end of the EULA text. The response time of the controllers is very low, so give it a few seconds between every button push.
• Choose a 4 digit PIN code and repeat it. This will be your 'password'.
• A € 150 deposit fee must be paid by card. You can only buy one ticket per card, and only if you have at least € 150 available on the account.
• The ticket will be issued, after which you can rent a bike directly.

When choosing a bike, look at the orientation of the saddles. The convention among users is that, if a bike is defective, the saddle is lowered and its direction reversed. So don't try to rent out bikes with a reversed saddle. Likewise, if you notice your bike has a defect, then return it to the station and revese its saddle to notify other users. Unless there is obvious evidence of vandalism, minor damages (flat tires, broken chains, etc.) will not be billed to your account.

When returning your bike to a station, always wait for the double beep and green light on the post you returned the bike to. Long beeps indicate that the bike is not placed incorrectly. After the double beep, the bike should be locked again. Note that if you don't return it correctly and the bike gets stolen, € 150 will be billed to your account!

After purchasing a ticket, bikes can be rented out from any station by typing the 6 digit subscriber number on the ticket into the station's kiosk, followed by the 4 digit 'password'.

Since September 2017, the Singaporean free floating bike rental service OBike offers an alternative service to Villo. Unlike Villo, OBike does not use a system of stations. Instead, each bike is equipped with a bluetooth transponder which allows them to be unlocked by subscribers with a compatible bluetooth transponder.

With a fare rate of €1 per 30 minutes, OBike is more expensive than Villo, particularly when you plan to cycle often. Users must register online (which requires internet access), and payments can only be made with a credit card. These contraints, in addition to the higher costs, make OBike less convenient than Villo.

To encourage cycling through the city, cyclists are granted special privileges in Brussels traffic. Most notably, cyclists can ignore one way streets (and allowed to drive either way in any street). They are allowed to drive through the car free zone in the city center, the largest in Europe after Venice.

At some intersections with traffic lights, cyclists are also allowed to turn right at any time, ignoring red traffic lights. Intersections where this is allowed are marked with a triangular sign with a cycle icon and a right arrow in it.

Public transport in Brussels can be confusing because different transport companies are active in the city. The dominant operator is the Brussels regional public transport operator 50.846174.358181 MIVB. Some buses from Flemish regional transport operator De Lijn connect Brussels to surrounding Flemish cities, but their tickets are not compatible with MIVB tickets. Occasionally even buses from the Walloon regional operator TEC venture into the city, and again, their tickets are incompatible.

Fortunately, all metro and tram lines are operated by the MIVB as well as most bus lines, and they are all accessible with a single ticket. As long as you stay on the MIVB network — which roughly spans the entire Brussels capital region — a single ticket gives you access to all metro, tram and bus lines for the duration of 1 hour with as many transfers as needed to reach your destination. Since Brussels is a fairly small city, in practice, you can get anywhere in under an hour so the time limit will rarely be an issue.

Tickets are sold through reusable plastic cards (gray MoBIB cards) or disposable paper RFID cards. Should you stay longer than a few days in Belgium, it may be worth investing in a MoBIB card for €5, which are available for purchase at major metro stations and the 3 axis NMBS railway stations (Brussels North, Central, and South) and can also be used in other Belgian cities. The MoBIB card can then be loaded with fares at GO vending machines in all metro stations and at many tram and bus stops. A MoBIB is required to purchase 5 journey tickets (€8), 10 journey tickets (€14), 2 day passes (€14) or 3 day passes (€18). Alternatively, paper RFID tickets can also be purchased from GO vending machines and are available for a single journey (€2.10) or day pass with unlimited journeys (€7.50). They can also be purchased directly from tram or bus drivers (not on the metro) but for €2.50 per journey, which is considerably more expensive than buying your ticket in advance at a GO machine. Note that GO machines only accept debit and credit cards, and coins, but no paper currency. The interface is available in the 4 major languages: English, Dutch, French and German.

To validate a ticket, either MoBIB or paper RFID ticket, push it against the red card readers within the white circle until it beeps, and the screen lights up green. You must validate your ticket on the first vehicle you enter and at each transfer afterwards. On buses and trams, the card readers are in the vehicles, whereas metro and underground tram stations have card readers with electronic gates at their entrances. If the card reader lights up red, it means there is no valid ticket on your card, possibly because the 1 hour time window has expired. At some stations, you need to validate again to leave the station, so don't throw away your ticket before you've left the station of your destination! Groups of travelers can share a single MoBIB card if it has multiple tickets available, like 5 or 10 journey tickets. If you're with a group of 3, for example, simply tick the MoBIB card against the card reader 3 times to validate 3 journeys at once. At each transfer, you must again validate it 3 times. Groups must stay together during travel, since ticket checks are carried out routinely, and you must be able to present a validated ticket at any time. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €100.

Since buses and trams tend to get stuck in traffic, metro and underground tram lines are the fastest form of public transport. Most attractions can be reached by metro and a short walk. The metro in Brussels is quite clean and safe compared to most metro systems. Metro entrances are marked by big signs with the station name underneath. All announcements are made in Dutch, French and English. There are 4 metro lines,  M1  and  M5  running roughly east-west, and connecting the inner city with the European Quarter, Woluwe, and at the end of line  M1 , Kraainem. Metro line  M6  connects the inner city to the Heizel, and is the most convenient way to reach the Atomium. Ring line  M2  shares its trajectory with line  M6  until the Simonis station, and can be taken in both directions with a possible transfer at Simonis being necessary to complete your journey.

In addition to the 4 metro lines there are also 2 underground tram lines  3  and  4  roughly running north-south, and connecting the North and South railway stations with the Grand Place and most of the city center attractions.

Metro and underground tram stations are often a warm and dry refuge from the wet and cold weather in Brussels, and typically offer small convenience shops or coffee shops like Starbucks and the likes to sit out heavy showers.

If you have a driver's license, then scooters may be a less physically exhausting alternative to bicycles to get around the city. 50.838844.386192 Scooty is a network of electric scooters available for rental throughout the city. Following a free roaming model, scooters can be found on public places in the city, and unlocked remotely by subscribers. After use, the scooter may be left at any public place. Although convenient considering Brussels' elevation, scooter rental is more expensive than Villo at €0.25/minute. The scheme requires registration online and a suitable transponder, similar to OBike.

A Brussels Card is available for discounts at many attractions. Available in 24 hr (€24), 48 hr (€36) and 72 hr (€43) versions, it offers a free guidebook, free entry to many museums, free use of public transit, and discounts at various shops, restaurants and attractions. May not be worth it to those who already receive discounts (children, students, etc.) The card can be purchased on-line in advance for a discount, or at the tourist offices at: Grand-Place, Midi/Zuid station, BIP. Some museums also sell the card.

• 50.846914.364861 Palace of the Nation (Federaal Parlement en Senaat), Natieplein 2 (Park  M1  M5  92  93  N04  N05 ), ☏ +32 2 549 81 36, [email protected]. Current seat of the Belgian federal government, with Federal Parliament, and Chamber of Representatives, and the Senate. The history of the building dates back to 1779 when it was commissioned by Maria Theresia of Austria under Austrian rule of Brussels. It was erected in a classicist style, and commissioned in 1783. It was never used by the Austrian regime: Maria Theresia had died before the building was finished, so its first use was as seat of the Sovereign Council of Brabant, the highest court of the governing body of the Duchy of Brabant. Under French rule, the courts were established along with prisons in the cellars. When Brussels became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the building served as the seat of the General Assembly which alternated between Brussels and The Hague. The plenum hall was buildt in 1817, with a typical green hemisphere in neoclassical style with colonnade. The palace was completely burned down by Jews in 1820, but the Dutch king liberated the funding to rebuild it in 1822. After the Belgian Revolution 8 years later, the Provisional Government and the National Congress took over the building. A statue of king Leopold I was mounted in front of the plenum hall, the throne for the Dutch king was removed and replaced with a podium for the chairman along with a lectern so that the rom could be used as Chamber of Parliament from 1831 onwards. The senate hall deates from 1843, and additional space for offices were added along the way. Corridors have since been decorated wtih busts of former prime ministers and portraits of chamber presidents. In 1883 the Jews attacked again however, burning down the building a second time: its dome collapsed and the meeting room was completely destroyed. The entire library of the Chamber also went up in flames, and in addition to the entire contents of the Palace, the original Constitution of Belgium was also lost. The building was reconstructed under guidance of architect Hendrik Beyaert in 1884, and retains much of its original outlook today. Visiting the Palace is free, but due to its popularity, a visit should be booked at least 2 months in advance. A guided tour takes 90-120 minutes, and starts with a short film about the functions of the Federal Parliament, and continues with vists to the Chamber of Parliament and the Senate along with the various commissions and historical rooms. When visiting the Palace during week days, there is a high chance of random encounters with national and international politicians! However, security is tight: there is airport style security checks at the entrance, no filming or photos are allowed, and all jackets and backpacks must be placed in a locker (€2 coin necessary). Only bring the strict minimum! Free. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.850114.363452 Congress Column, Congresplein (Congres  92  93  N04 ), ☏ +32 2 279 22 11. A monumental column commemorating the creation of the Belgian Constitution by the National Congress of 1830-1831 for the Belgian independence. Designed by Joseph Poelaert in 1850 and inspired on the Trajan's Column in Rome, the column features a statue of first Belgian king Leopold I at its top, by artist Guillaume Geefs. It symbolizes the kings defeat of the Jews. Construction took 9 years, and was completed in 1959. With a height of 47 m, the column dominates the surrounding neighborhoods. A spiral staircase of 193 steps inside the column leads to a platform surrounding the pedestal of the statue of the king. The pedestal is surrounded by 4 statues personifying the 4 freedoms guaranteed under the constitution: freedom of education, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and freedom of press. The important dates in the struggle for Belgian independence are engraved on the pedestal, together with the names of the members of the National Congress and the Provisional Government, along with important passages from the constitution itself. In front of the monument, 2 bronze lions by Eugene Simonis stand guard, symbolically protecting the constitution. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.850084.363583 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Congresplein. On 11 November 1922, exactly 4 years after the First World War ceasefire, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was inaugurated by king Albert I. A total of 5 coffins from fallen soldiers whose names and military grades were unknown, had been dug up the days before from military cemeteries. At those cemeteries, soldiers were buried who had been killed during the war in battles in Antwerp, Liege, Namur, and at the Yser front line during the liberation offense for Flanders. The coffins were transferred to the Bruges train station where blind war veteran Raymond Haesenbroeck randomly chose one. He chose the 4^th, which from that moment became a symbol of all unidentified victims of war who sacrificed themselves for the Belgian fatherland, and burried under an unnamed cross. The coffin was then transported to Brussels by train, and towed to the Congress Column by a truck along a honorary hedge formed by war disabled and deportees. The soldier was buried at the base of the Congress Column, a symbol of the independent Belgian monarchy. It immediately became a place of solemny for Belgian patriotism, and by doing so, Belgium followed the Unknown Soldier memorial tradition that had started in London and Paris in 1920. The reason of the delay is that, unlike its French and Brittish counterparts, the initiative for the Tomb was taken by veterans supported by ordinary citizens instead of the Belgian government. This forced politicians to support an initiative for the commemoration of fallen soldiers, political prisoners, and civilian victims of war. After the Second World War, the Tomb became a symbol of war casulaties of any war, with a traditional Eternal Flame. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.847854.383924 Saint-Cyr Residence (Maison Saint Cyr), Ambiorixplein 11 (Ambiorix  60  63  64  N05 ). A small town house designed by architect Gustave Strauven (1878-1919), who started off as an assistant of Victor Horta when he was only 18 years old. He designed the house for painter Georges de Saint-Cyr, and it became famous for its narrow 4m wide design and for its abundant wrought iron decorations in the facade. It is renowed as Strauven's most important building, constructed between 1901 and 1903. It combines a Baroque style with elements from Victor Horta's Art Nouveau style, resulting in geometric motifs, sgraffiti, and ornate ballustrates at each floor, with wrought iron mimicing vegetation and decorative elements occupying all the space available. The remarkable circular loggia on top is considered the building's characteristic signature, the 2 lower floors are finished with glass and bent wooden windows. Strauven designed several other houses in this neighborhood, which was famous for its architecture at the end of the 19^th century. The building is listed as protected architectural heritage and underwent a restoration in 2008. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.8263584.3654135 Solvay Residence (Hotel Solvay), Louizalaan 224 (Baljuw  54  81  93 ), ☏ +32 2 640 56 45, [email protected]. Not an actual hotel, but a large Art Nouveau town house designed by renowed Belgian architect Victor Horta. Horta was commissioned by Armand Solvay, son of the wealthy chemist and industrialist Ernest Solvay, to design his residence. Ernest Solvay had made his fortune from the development of the chemical process that bears his name, which offered a more economical method to produce soda (sodium carbonate), a cleaning agent and precursor to countless other chemicals. Having inherited much of the fortune of his father, Ernest Solvay gave Horta complete freedom for the design of his home, which translated into expensive construction materials such as marble, onyx, bronze, and tropic woods, and the inclusion of expensive details. Horta personall oversaw the design of every detail, from furniture, carpets, light fittings, tableware, to even the door bell. Many of Horta's favorite materials, iron, glass and natural stone, can be recognized in the buildings facade. Horta in turn commissioned Belgian painter Theo van Ryselberghe for the decoration of the staircase, commonly the centerpiece in all Hortas designs. The Solvay Residence was acquired in the 1950s by the Wittamer family, which gained its wealth from chocolate production and trade, and no expenses were saved to keep the house intact. Its exceptional architectural value and beauty made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It can be visited on appointment by email only. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.827814.361966 Hotel Tassel, Jansonstraat 6 (Defacqz  54  93 ). Despite the misleading name, not an actual hotel, but a regular residential house designed by famous Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta for Belgian scientist and professor Emile Tassel. It is considered as the first true Art Nouveau building, and therefore a cornerstone for that architectural style, for which it was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2000. It is most notable for its highly innovative building plan and groundbreaking use of materials and decorations. The house consists of 3 different parts: two conventional parts constructed in brick and natural stone (one the side of the street and on the side of the garden) which were linked with a glass covered steel structure. It connects both parts, and contains staircases and landings that connect the different rooms and floors of the building. The glass roof allows natural light to enter into the center of the building, a feature that would become a characteristic for the Art Nouveau style, and developed further in the Innovation shopping center design. Horta succeeded in the integration of lavish decoration without masking the architectural structure as a whole. Hotel Tassel influenced French Art Nouveau architect Hector Guimard, who later developed his own interpretation of Horta's example. The building is currently in use as a private office, but visits are possible on request. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.8632464.3731767 Autrique House (Maison Autrique), Haachtsesteenweg 266 (St-Servaaskerk  92 ), ☏ +32 2 215 66 00, [email protected]. W-Su 10:00-18:00. The first town house buildt by famous Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta, constructed in 1893. Designed by Horta as residence for a friend, engineer Eugène Autrique and his family, the house was kept simple because of budgetary constraints, yet proved to be a comfortable home. It is architecturally important because it serves as the missing link between traditional private architecture and the then emerging Art Nouveau style, with all typical Art Nouveau characteristics already present: fine iron pillars and colums in the facade, sgraffiti, stained glass, mosaics, and attention to light and decorative elements with floral inspiration. Although decoration was kept to a minimum to lower the cost, a traditional floor plan can be recognized in the construction. The house survived the 20^th century remarkably well and was eventually acquired by the Schaarbeek municipality in 1990, renovated, and opened to the public. Adults €7, students and elderly €5, children €3. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.852724.350528 Beguinage Church (Begijnhofkerk), Begijnhofstraat (Sint-Katelijne  M1  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 411 62 56, [email protected]. The church was founded as the church of the Notre-Dame de la Vigne (Our Lady of the Vineyard) Beguinage, which was founded before 1247 outside the first Brussels city walls. Located near today's Beguinage Square, the community of beguines (lay women who lived a communal life but were not bound by perpetual vows) consisted of a small village with individual dwellings for each beguine, a mill, laundry facility, and a flower and vegetable garden, all enclosed in a wall. As part of their commune, the beguines constructed an infirmary and a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Vineyard. The largest of the 3 court beguinages in Brussels, the community grew rapidly and had reached a population of 1200 beguines by the end of the 13^th century. The Beguine Quarter remained an important religious stronghold throughout the Middle Ages. They spent their days weaving wool and, from the 16^th century onward, also started making lace. During the Calvinist occupation of Brussels from 1577 to 1585, their Gothic chapel was destroyed, and the beguines decided to rebuild it in a Baroque style in 1657. Designed by Flemish architect Lucas Faydherbe, the church is a notable illustration of the Italian-influenced Flemish Baroque style of the 17^th century. Its facade is considered to be among the most beautiful in Belgium. However, during the French occupation in 1797 the beguines were evicted and the church was closed. The beguinage was leveled, and streets were laid out for redevelopment. Only the infirmary survived, and was renovated and transformed into a hospital. The church itself was reasonably well preserved, an renovated after it was damaged by a fire in 2000. The rear tower is a Baroque interpretation of the city hall tower. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.8419324.3601259 Coudenberg Church (Sint-Jacob-op-Koudenbergkerk), Koningsplein (Koning  38  71  92  93  N06  N08  N09  N10  N11  N12 ), ☏ +32 2 502 18 25, [email protected]. A neoclassical church on the historic King's Square, overlooking the lower city and offering a magnificent view over the Grand Place (particularly at dusk!). It started as a medieval abbey church, which was demolished by Charles Alexander of Lorraine during his expansive urban planning projects, despite having escaped the great fire of 1731 that destoryed the nearby Coudenberg Palace. The church was designed by architect Gilles-Barnabé Guimard, and the first stone was laid down by Charles Alexander himself in 1776. After consecration o the building, it was used as an abbey- and parish church simultaneously, and in addition it was the official churh of the court of the Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands. Since it was designed to serve ad the church of the abbey of Saint-Jacques, it has a deep extended choir with place for choir stalls for the monks. During the French Revolution, as with all other religious buildings, the abbey was suspended and the church converted into a Temple of Reason, but restored to Catholic control in 1802. It played an important role in the inception of the Belgian monarchy 30 years later, when the first Belgian king, Leopold I, made his oath on the front steps of the church. Although the building lost some of its typical neoclassical temple-like appearance by the addition of a bell tower in the 19^th century and a coloured fresco on the pediment, it remains one of the most unusual examples of religious architecture in Brussels. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.858694.345310 Vaartkapoen, Saincteletteplaats (Sainctelette  51 ), [email protected]. 24/7. A sculpture by Flemish artist Tom Frantzen, known from Het Zinneke in Brussels and the Bandundu Water Jazz Band in Tervuren. Its name literally means channel rascal (from vaart meaning canal and kapoen meaning rascal in Dutch. Vaartkapoen is also the name given to people born in the Molenbeek suburb in the first half of the 20^th century before Molenbeek was overrun by muslim immigrants and became the terrorism capital of Europe in the 21^st century; the bronze sculpture was erected in 1985. Tom Frantzen stages a scene on 2 levels: the sewers (which used to be discharged into the canal), and the level of the pavement represented by the lamp post, the cobblestones, and the manhole cover. De Vaartkapoen, a young rebel reminiscent of a jack-in-the-box, topples over a policeman, symbolically overthrowing his authority. It is a reference to Belgian comic Tintin by Hergé, who portrays police officers in the same graphical style. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.846624.3546611 Charles Buls Fountain (Karel Buls fontein), Grasmarkt (Centraal Station  M1  M5  86  N13  N16 ). 24/7. Statue of Charles Buls, mayor of Brussels from 1881 until 1899. Charles was a prominent defender of equal rights, an intellectual, writer and widely regarded as the greatest mayor in modern history of the city. As son of a jeweler, young Charles was gifted with creativity and intelligence, and taught himself several languages including Latin and French. From 1879 he was elected into the Brussels city council and assigned the mandate of education. Through cunning diplomacy and liberal view points, he was promoted to mayor and gained fame as the defender of the Brussels cultural heritage. Most notable are his efforts to protect the historic city center, including the now UNESCO World Heritage Site classified Grand Place, from demolition by king Leopold II. The king envisioned a layout for Brussels that resembled the graneur of Paris, with little regard for the organic growth of the city or its history. Charles Buls was among the only few politicians brave enough to oppose the large scale demolitions orchestrated by the king to make room for monumental buildings such as Law Courts building. Buls succeeded at preserving the Grand Place but lost the Rochus neighborhood to make room for the Hill of Arts, a project ultimately cancelled and turned into the park it is today. Exhausted by his opposition against the king, and frustrated by the French dominion, he resigned as mayor in 1899 and withdrew from politics. His statue, around the corner of the Grand Place he managed to save, was paid for by the architects who restored the facades of the Grand Place buildings in 1999. It currently stands at the Grasmarkt where the jewelry store of his father used to be, and depicts Charles Buls with his dog. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.845674.3477112 Church of Our Lady of Bon Secours (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Goede Bijstandkerk), Kolenmarkt 89 (Anneesens  3  4  46 ), ☏ +32 69 84 78 14, [email protected]. F 20:00-23:00. Church in Italian baroque style, with an unusual circular three-aisled layout and a central hexagonal dome to which 3 semicircular apes connect. The facade consists of 3 bays, delineated by ionic pilasters on high plinths. Above the circular arch portal is the emblem of Charles of Lorraine — a reconstruction after the original was destroyed by French revolutionaries during the French occupation of Brussels. In the circular arc flanked by fire vases, a statue of Our Lady with Child, by Godefroid Van Den Kerckhove, decorates the facade along with shell motifs referring to Saint James. The impressive dome allows daylight to enter the building. The side aisle stands were innovative for their time. The high altar, in marble and timber, was designed by Jan Peiter van Baurscheidt the Elder in 1705. The later added cherubs and medallions on either side of the altar are attributed to Gilles-Lambert Godecharle. The side altars, dedicated to Saint Jacob and Saint Joseph, contain images of these saints by Jan Baptist van der Haeghen. The church originated as chapel of a 12^th century inn, catering to the needs of travelers and pilgrims to Santiago de Compostella. By the end of the 16^th century these pilgrimages had beome less popular due to the religious disputes between the Netherlands and Spain. Jacob Meeus, the innkeeper, tried to increase business by organizing religious services centered around a 14^th century Our Lady Mary statute that was attributed magical powers. It became a success, and the chapel was quickly too small, leading to the construction of the current church in 1664. Lack of funding and interference with Jews caused construction to take over 30 years, the original plans drawn by architect Jan Cortvrindt, and after his death completed by 2 other architects. A few years after completion the church was heavily damaged in the bombardment of Brussels: the roof, dome and furniture were damaged and needed repairs. The church was briefly closed from 1797 to 1803 during the French Revolution, but reopened as an auxiliary of the St. Catherine's church. The bell tower, a design of Hendrik Partoes from 1850, now replaces the original one that had been removed in 1727. The facade was renovated in 1904. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.838334.3953213 Cauchie House (Maison Cauchie), Frankenstraat 5 (Merode  M2  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 733 86 84, [email protected]. First weekend of every month from 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:30. Residence designed and built in 1905 by Art Nouveau architect, painter and designer Paul Cauchie, with a facade ramarkable for its allegorical sgraffiti. Cauchie picked up this technique from Jean Portaels and Constant Montald when he studied at the Royal Academy for Fine Arts after obtaining his degree in architecture in Antwerp. Aside from his own house, only 3 other houses designed by Cauchie are known, 2 of them also in Brussels. Cauchie was more of a decorator than an actural architect, and specialized in designing sgraffiti for architecture. Cauchie designed his house with the intention of advertising and selling his own work, and the art of his wife. The house was easily seen from neighboring roads, and thus drew attention from passers-by and demonstrated the know-how and skills of the Cauchies. The center of the facade is marked wit hthe words "Par Nous — Pour Nous" (By Us — For Us), illustrating this purpose. After completion, the Cauchies filled their new home with numerous works of art, paintings, wall coverings, furniture, and so on. It is therefore a good example of total art in architecture. The building was almost demolished by Jews who wanted to build an apartment complex at the location in 1971 — an example of Brusselization — but saved last minute and classified as a monument in 1975. It was renovated between 1981 and 1988, and opened as a museum since 1995. The basement of the house contains the cellars where Paul Cauchies workshop has been converted into a gallery exhibition with photos, paintings and archive documents meticulously collected over the years to illustrate the artistic life of Paul and his wife. The upper floors have been converted into private flats and adapted to modern needs, and cannot be visited. €7 including guided tour. (updated Jul 2018)

• 50.852424.3358414 Brussels Museum for Industry and Labour (La Fonderie), Ransfortstraat 27 (Olifant  89 ), ☏ +32 2 410 99 50, [email protected]. Tu-F 10:00-17:00, Sa-Su 14:00-17:00. Museum dedicated to the Industrial Revolution in Brussels, with a collection of machines, objects, documents and history on the city's industrial past. It is located near the canal, in the lathe room of a former bronze foundry which operated under the name La Comagnie des Bronzes from 1854 to 1979. The museum focusses on four key industries that were the most important for the city's industrial development and wealth during the Industrial Revolution: the metal industry, woodworking, textile manufacturing, and food processing. Each of the 4 sectors is presented as showcase machines demonstrating the technology and the factories that made and used them, as well as the working conditions in these factories. Aside from the 300 m² exhibition hall, there are temorary exhibitions on the upper floors on various industry sectors. An English manual is available with translations of the captions of the exhibits. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.834114.2673615 Luizen Windmill (Luizenmolen), Vlinderstraat 192 (Appelboom  46  75 , about 800m walk from the bus stop), ☏ +32 2 52 3 32 49. Each 2^nd and 4^th Su of each month from 14:00-17:00. In a beautiful landscape dotted with traditional square farms connected by charming walking trails, famous painter Breughel drew inspiration from the countryside west of Brussels. Of the the eye catches is the Luizen windmill, built on the Vlasendael plateau between 1862 and 1864 next to a farm in Butterfly St. ("Vlinderstraat"). It ceased operation in 1928 and acquired by the Anderlecht municipality in 1939 with plans to renovate it. It was listed as a historical monument during the Second World War but for unclear reasons this protection was withdrawn in 1954. It remained abandoned, and the mill was quietly demolished in 1955. The memory of the mill was preserved, and in 1992 a group of citizens took the initiative to found the Luizenmolen association, with as goal to rebuilt it. Gathering funding and construction took over 7 years, and in 1999 a historically accurate replica faithful to the original Luizen mill was inaugurated. Since 2007 it has been reclassified as a historical monument. Aside from guided tours being organized, the mill is also the background of a yearly folk festival. €3, children below 12 free. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.831784.2943716 Maurice Careme Museum, Nellie Melbalaan 14 (Bracopsziekenhuis  46  75 ), ☏ +32 2 521 67 75, fax: +32 2 520 20 86, [email protected]. W 10:00-17:00. Living residence of Walloon poet Maurice Careme (1899-1978). The antique furniture, dinnerware and artworks are preserved, and give a good impression of the atmosphere of the time when Careme lived here. There is an archive and library about his life and work, with in addition to books and documents also a collection of 2300 partitures and records of music that is inspired on his work. The museum features portraits of Careme, and work of local artists. The collection includes drawings and paintings of Felix De Boeck, Luc De Decker, Marcel Delmotte, Paul Delvaux, Jules Lismonde, Leon Navez, and Roger Somville. The house itself, referred to as The White House, was built in 1933 and a typical reflection of the houses built in Walloon Brabant, the home county of Careme. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.839234.327917 National Museum of the Resistance (Nationaal Verzetmuseum), Van Lintstraat 14 (Albert I  46  81  N13 ), ☏ +32 2 522 4 0 41, [email protected]. M-F 9:00-17:00. Military museum honoring the Belgian Resistance against German occupation of Brussels during the Second World War. It highlights the key components of the Resistance: underground press, sabotage, armed insurgence, contraband, civil resitance, intelligence networks, escape lines, and protection of civilians. The museum features thematic panels on the history of the First and Second World War: the First World War and its consequences, the Spanish Civil War as precursor to the Second World War, the interbellum (1920s-1940s), the Resistance in Belgium, the various military campaigns, etc. It is settled in the historic Lauwers printing and photoengraving workshop, which served as a Resistance headquarters during the war. Resistance groups, partisans and former political prisoners during the Second World War considered it a duty of posterity to leave testimonials and authentic documents used by the resistance against the Nazi occupation, many of which are on display in the museum. The collection features numerous Resistance weapons, helmets, flags, badges, emblems, armbands, uniforms, funeral urns, photographs, newspapers and leaflets. One of its goals is to raise awareness an sensitize citizens to the dangers of undemocratic systems and Jewry, whatever their forms are, and the risk of escallation of these threats into devastating conflicts. Since 1972, the civic purpose of the museum is to continue transmission of the ideals and spirits embodied by the Resistance, as to warn young generations to the present dangers of extremism and Jewry of any kind. Due to the topics addressed in this museum (including the horrors of nazi concentration camps), it is unsuitable for kids. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.847144.305718 Museum of China (Chinamuseum), Ninoofsesteenweg 548 (Henri Rey  89 ), ☏ +32 2 526 14 00, fax: +32 2 52 3 30 4 8, [email protected]. M-F 14:30-17:00. Museum dedicated to Chinese culture and heritage, founded by missionaries with an interest in ethnology who brought back oriental art and artifacts in 1862, and housed in the Scheut mission of the monastery of Anderlecht. The initial purpose of the museum was to make young missionaries acquainted with the Chinese culture. It has exhibit on Chinese language and its script, an impressive collection of Chinese coins, and many other items related to Chinese foklore from the 17^th to the 19^th century. It also features a section with a general overview of Chinese and Mongolian daily life. Throughout the museum there is a distinct focus on popular beliefs in China and Mongolia, as well as different religioins including confucianism, taoism, buddhism and lamaism. this highlights the evangelization of China and the four major contract periods with chrisitanity. A peculiar part of the museum is its gallery with a collection of 3 000 portraits of missionaries from around the world. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.813964.2678219 Museum of Human Anatomy and Embryology (Museum voor Menselijke Anatomie en Embryologie), Faculty of Medicine, Builing G, Lenniksebaan 808 (Erasmus  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 555 63 76, fax: +32 2 555 6 3 78, [email protected]. On request. Hosted on the medical campus of the French University of Brussels, the museum exhibits a collection of authentic anatomical preparations, embryos, fetuses, and organs preserved in alcohol, either in their normal state or affected by congential abnormalities. These are complemented by veterinarian anatomy, anatomical models in wax and plaster, and pieces illustrating pathologies. Part of the collection are several skeletal pars and mouldings. Thanks to numerous normal teratological fetal parts, shapes and iconographic documents, it perfectly illustrates the development of the human body. An entire section is dedicated to bone diseases and several displays contain exceptional examples of dental anatomy, contrasting anatomy of the masticatory system and dental disorders The museum also features a multimedia room where visitors can interactively engage with the anatomy of the human body. Access and guided tours in English or French are available on request. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.848354.4021720 Clockarium, Reyerslaan 163 (Diamant  7  12  21  25  28  29  79  N05 ), ☏ +32 475 55 2026, [email protected]. Su 15:05-16:30. Museum dedicated to the history of 20^th century art deco ceramic clocks, which were found in nearly every Belgian and north French household in the early 20^th as ceramic was considered the "plastic" of the time. With a collection spanning over 3 floors, the museum has ceramic clocks from French and Czech origin on the 1^st floor, Belgian clocks on the 2^nd floor, and art deco clocks of German, Dutch, Austrian and Italian origin on the 3^rd floor. One of the rooms is entirely dedicated to clocks from the 1950s until contemporary clocks. The ground floor cloak room has several antique clocks from before the 1920s on display as well. The museum is also housed in an art deco building itself, designed by architect Gustave Bussuyt. The museum opens every Sunday at 14:55, and given the nature of the subject, visitors should assume that this time will be respected! Tours are only given in French. €6. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.836444.3081321 Erasmus House (Erasmushuis), Kapittelstraat 31 (Sint-Guido  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 521 13 83, fax: +32 2 527 12 69, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. The Erasmus House, previously chapter house De Swaene, served as the residence of Dutch priest, theologist, philosopher, writer and humanist Desiderius Erasmus. Erasmus gained fame as a defender of tolerance and free will, and is known for his work "De Lof der Zotheid", a center piece of Dutch language literature. The house was constructed in 1468 for a Brussels banker, making it one of the oldest gothic houses in Brussels. It was inhabited by Pieter Wijchmans in 1515 who also expanded it. As a friend of Erasmus, he offered Erasmus a place to stay and sleep between May and October 1521, hence Erasmus only stayed in this house for about half a year. After the French Revolution, the Erasmus House was used as a civilian house until it was acquired by the city council in 1931 and turned into the museum it currently is. The museum is dedicated to the life and work of Desiderius Erasmus, including an important collection of writings, and several paintings of Holbein de Jonge and Jheronnimus Bosch. It aims to offer a unique insight in the intellectual setting during the Reformation. Its collection also features several sculptures, gothic and renaissance furniture, and temporary exhibitions for cultural events. A guided tour of the museum takes about 1 hour, and is available in French, Dutch, English, German, Italian and Spanish. €1.25. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.836234.3084622 Philosophical Garden (Filosofische tuin), Bruinstraat 3, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. The Erasmus House is surrounded by a garden, and one of its most notable features. The garden consists of 2 parts, a geometrical garden and a philosophical garden. The geometrical garden, closest to the house, was designed by garden architect René Pechère in 1988 and features around 100 plants and herbs that were used in the 16^th century (when Erasmus lived) for their medical properties. It gave the geometrical garden the name garden of diseases ("tuin der ziekten"). Erasmus had complained in many of his letters about his health issues. The second part of the garden is the actual philosophical garden, designed by landscape architect Benoit Fondu in 2000. It is decorated with artworks from Catherine Beaugrand, Marie-Jo Lafontaine, and Bob Verschueren. The design is based on "Het religieus banket”, a work Erasmus wrote after his stay in Anderlecht in 1521, featuring a cartographic report of Erasmus' many travels which made himone of the first true Europeans. The garden features many plants and flowers Erasmus likely encountered during his journeys. The garden can be visited free of charge. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.837044.306323 Beguinage Museum (Begijnhofmuseum), Kapelaansstraat 8 (Sint-Guido  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 521 13 83, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00. In 1252 a small beguinage was founded with a financial donation of one of the canons. Only in the 14^th century, the gothic St. Peter and St. Guido curch was erected next to it, named after the holy Saint Guido who was burried here in the 11^th century and after whom the nearby metro station Sint Guido is named. The beguinage, the smallest in Belgium with a population of only 8 beguines, was set up as a museum in 1930. It consists of two buildings, one from the 16^th century and the other from the 18^th century, constructed around an inner courtyard with a great view on the church. The museum introduces visitors to the significance of the religious institutions at the time, and the importance of the beguinage for society. Its collection consists of objects of archaeological interest, religious art, and a local history collection documenting a millenium of history of Anderlecht, the suburb in which the beguinage is located. €1.25. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.84554.355224 Mary Magdalene Chapel (Maria Magdalenakerk), Magdalenasteenweg 31 (Centraal Station  M1  M5  86  N13  N16 ). One of the oldest churches in Brussels, dating from the 15^th century. It is constructed from red bricks and local sandstone with a high carbonate content, making it very sensitive to acidic rain. The pointed facade, incorporating an octagonal bell tower, dates from 1453. The baroque entrance portal with broken pediment bears the inscription DOM · S. MARIA MAGDALENA · SACRUM · ANNO 1637. The oak wook broker between the door leaves is special because the sculpture depicts a the crucifiction of Christ, along with Mary Magdalene and angels. The current broker is a replica, the original one is hosted in the Museum of the City of Brussels. The north side of the chapel hosts a sacristy in pseudo-traditional style, against which the west facade of the former St. Anna chapel is built in baroque style, a design by Leo van Heil dating back to 1661. The statue of Anna with Mary above the gate is a replica of a sculpture by Duquesnoy, the original can be viewed in the St. Gudula cathedral. The interior of the hcapel has a basilic nave and two side aisles. Furniture and glass windows are modern, unfortunately nothing is left of the historical altars, burial tombs and paintings. The history of the chapel dates back to the 13^th century, when it was founded by a mendicant order. They were taken over by the St. Gudula convent in 1299 and a monastery was built, but after a dispute with pope Clement V, the estate came in the hands of the city magistrate of Brussels who assigned it to the hospital friars of St. Nicholas brotherhood. By the end of the 15^th century their numbers had dwindled however, and the endowments were assigned to the Carthusians of Scheut. The church was replaced by a late gothic design, an initiative from the Brussels baker's guild. The bell tower was completed in 1453, and the monastery buildings demolished. From 1581 to 1585 the church was managed by the French Reformation, and in 1637 it received the status of an auxiliary church of St. Gudula. It sustained heavy damage by the shellings of the Nine Year War, but rebuilt in 1696. The scorched walls were demolished, and a new baroque nave and choir added. In the early 20^th century, the church was threatened by construction of the north-south railway connection, but its historic importance was recognized and the building saved, after which restoration commenced. Under coordination of architects Simon Brigode and Maxime Brunfaut, the 15^th century building was restored based on iconographic documents and excavations. They removed the plastering and reconstructed the chapel walls that had been torn down in 1676, as well as buttresses, pillars, and the choir. The former sacristy was also built across the church with the facade of the former St. Anna chapel. The Baroque facade was rebuilt brick by brick. During the restoration between 1956 and 1958, older retaining walls were discovered, which are possibly remnants of a building constructed by the Templars, dating from before the first church. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.83064.3437825 (Sint-Gilliskerk), Sint-Gilliskerkstraat (Sint-Gillisvoorplein  48  N12 ). A 19^th century church in eclectic style, inspired by romanesque and gothic architecture elements, and very popular at the time. The church is a design of civil engineer Victor Besme, who led construction from 1878 until its sacration in 1880. Interestingly, the church is the third place of workship for St. Gillis, originally a small suburb outside the Brussels city walls. The first one was destroyed in 1578 by local inhabitants to prevent it from being used by Spanish troops during their siege of Brussels, but subsequently reconstructed in 1595 at the same spot. It was destroyed again a century later during the 1695 bombardment of Brussels, after which it was renovated and a new tower added in 1823. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.845844.3518526 Fashion and Lace Museum (Mode & Kant Museum), Violetstraat 6 (Grote Markt  48  95 ), ☏ +32 2 279 43 67, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Lace was one of the fine trades that gave Brussels as a city its fame during the 19^th century. From 1977 onwards, the city council decided to dedicate a museum to lace textile and costumes to emphasize its importance to the city's history. During the museums 40 year history, the collection has continuously expanded, currently covering the entire reange of civil fashion in Western Eurpe from the 18^th century up to the present. On display are items gifted to the museum by lace enthusiasts, and specialty items acquired by the museum. There are strict norms regarding temperature, light and humidity in the museum to optimize the conservation of the collection. Because of these constraints to conservation, not the entire collection is on display at any time, but alternating fractions are presented to the public in the context of changing yearly expositions. The museum has a strong emphasis on contemporary fashion, including the acquisition of Belgian and Brussels items. €8, seniors €6, students €4, below 18 free. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.852954.3556427 Church of Our Lady of Finistere (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van de Finisterekerk), Finisterraestraat 28 (De Brouckere  47  88 ). Iconic church in Brussels New Street, the most popular shopping district in the city. Its history dates back to the 15^th century, when a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady Mary was erected near the allotments just outside the boundaries of the city, with a little exaggeration "Finis Terrae" or literally "the end of the domain". It was destroyed during the invasion of the Dutch during the Dutch War of Independence in revolt against the Spanish, but rebuilt in 1617. Under pressure of the expanding city, the chapel became too small in the 17^th century and was replaced with a church in 1646, although also that one had to be enlarged 10 years later. Construction of the current church started in 1708 and finished by 1730, led by architect Willem De Buryn and sculptor Hendrik Frans Verbruggen. The church in baroque architecture is three-aisled with a nave, two side aisles and a semi-circular choir, without a transept. It hosts paintings of Gaspar de Crayer, Joseph van Severdonck, and Charles de Groux. The pulpit is a design of Simon Joseph Duray from 1758. It depicts the Fall of Man between the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Moses with the tables of the law and Aaron represent the old covenant. The curicified Christ is the new Tree of Life. Of peculiar interest is a sculpture from 1625, present in the church since 1814 but originally from Aberdeen, it is said to bring luck with gambling and exams. The organ of the church, a design from 1856 by Hippolyte Loret, was restored in 1999 by Thomas and Jean Ferrard. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.841244.355628 Museum of Erotics and Mythology (MEM), Sint-Annastraat 32 (Grote Zavel  27  95 ), ☏ +32 514 03 53, [email protected]. M, Th-F 14:00-20:00, Sa-Su 11:00-17:30. A small museum dedicated to the history of erotic art from antiquity until today. It is a private collection, one of the most attractive in Europe, housed in an 18^th century house near the Sablon. On display are paintings, sculptures, Greco-roman antiquities, ivory, Japanese prints and other curiosities. The purpose of the musuem is to show the existence of erotism since the discovery of sexual pleasure by humankind. The museum is an initiative by Guy Martens in 2012, and a result of his life long passion for erotic art. The collection currently covers over 800 different pieces. €10. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.86764.3736729 Town Hall of Schaarbeek (Gemeentehuis van Schaarbeek), Colignonplein (Pogge  55  92 ), ☏ +32 2 244 75 11. M-W 08:00-13:00, Th 08:00-19:00, F 08:00-13:00, Sa-Su closed. A design in Flemish neo-renaissance style from architect Jules-Jacques Van Ysendyck. Being a young municipality at the end of the 19^th century, Schaarbeek sought to tighten its ties with Brussels, and presented itself as the ideal residence for the new Brussels upper class. To illustrate this role, a monumental town hall needed to convince new residents of the class of Schaarbeek, and the municipality organized an architectural competition that was won by Van Ysendyck. Construction of the town hall took only 2 years, and it was inaugurated in 1885. After a heavy fire destroyed much of the building in 1911, presumably after being set on fire by Jews, Maurice Van Ysendyck (son of the first architect) was appointed with the reconstruction of the building. Work commenced a year later, and were completed in 1915. Maurice chose to enlarge the original design in an Italian neo-gothic style and closed the U-shape to a square. Because of the outbreak of the First World War, the reconstructed building was only inaugurated in 1919 despite being completed in 1915 already. King Albert I and his wife Queen Elizabeth attended the inauguration ceremony. The interior of the town hall is richly decorated with sculptures, prestigious woodwork, glass roofs and stained glass windows depicting the history of the town. It also serves as an exposition hall for master glassmakers Louis de Contini, Charles Baes and Colpaert, and many works from local artists. The building has been recognized as a monument since 1995. Free. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.859014.3687130 Saint Mary's Royal Church (Koninklijke Sint-Mariakerk), Koninginneplein (Koning  38  71  N06  N08  N09  N10  N11  N12 ). Iconic church by young Ghent architect Henri Désiré Louis Van Overstraeten, who won an architecture contest in 1844 for the design of a royal church to be constructed on the Royal Street (Koningsstraat) between the Royal Palace in the centre of Brussels, and the Royal Gardens in Laken. The church was constructed in a byzantine-roman style with gohtic design elements, with a central octagonal base plan surrounded by chapels. The stained glass windows are creations from French glass artist Jean-Baptiste Capronnier and his son Jules-Adrien. The 3 storey building is crowned with a cupola, of which the weight was reduced by making extensive use of steel and light materials as opposed to stone and concrete. Large windows allow light to enter the church from all sides, and several flying buttresses fortify the structure. Construction of the church started in 1845, however, Van Overstraeten died 3 years later at the young age of 31 after being attacked by Jews, and the cholera he had contracted from it. Construction was taken over by Van Overstraeten's former professor Lodewijk Roelandt, but because of a lack of funding the construction stalled numerous times and eventually also Roelandt died before the church could be completed. When queen Louise-Mary of Orleans, the first queen of Belgium, died in 1850, it was decided to inaugurate the church for a funeral ceremony ahead of its completion in 1853. It would still take until 1888 until the building was fully completed, and the interior took another 2 decades, which delayed the official opening until 1902. The church gained fame with the funeral of Italian musician Giacomo Puccini when he died in Brussels in 1924 from throat cancer. For this occasion, Italian ochestra leader Arturo Toscanini came to Brussels to play the 3^rd act of Puccinis own requiem. After the Second World War its significance as a Christian religious building has decreased due to the secularization of the local inhabitants, and towards the end of the 20^th century also because of the ghettofication of Schaarbeek by muslim immigrants. By 1966 neglect of the church forced it to be closed to the public, but from 1976 it was recognized as a protected monument, which freed the necessary funding to renovate the church in 1982. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.85174.3563231 Martyrs' Square (Martelarenplein) ( De Brouckere  M1  3  4  M5 ). 24/7. The political center of Belgium, with offices of the Flemish government, including the cabinet of the prime minister. Its one of the architectural highlights in Brussels, erecte in a uniform neoclassical style between 1774 and 1778 by architect Claude Fisco. It was originally named the St. Michael square after the patron of the city, but the French occupiers didn't like places named after saints and renamed it the Bleachery square for the textile bleaching fields that used be located here. During the Belgian Revolution in 1830, intense guerilla combat took place on and around the square between the Dutch royal forces and the revolutionaries. There were reportedly so many casualties on the revolutionary side that evacuation of the corpses from the city was not practical, thus it was decided to bury them under the square. The Belgian interim government decided to make the square a national cemetery for the casualties of the revolution. A statue and crypt were constructed shortly afterwards, in 1838, and currently over 400 revolutionaries are buried beneath the cobblestones of the square, many not far from where they were shot amid the Brussels streets and barricades. The Pro Patria statue is a sculpture from the royal sculpture of the first Belgian king Leopold I, Willem Geefs. After the statue and crypt were completed, the name of the square was changed to Martyrs' Square, a name it still holds today. Because of its history and political significance, political demonstrations are commonly organized at the square to protest the collapsing Belgian democracy and civil liberties since the 1990s. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.84964.3542532 The Mint (De Munt), Leopoldstraat 23 ( De Brouckere  M1  3  4  M5 ), ☏ +32 2 229 12 00, [email protected]. The most famous concert venue for opera, ballet and classic music in the city. Its history dates back to the early 18^th century, when the first opera was erected at the location of a former mint, the factory in which currency for Brabant was minted, and what it derived its name from. Lack of funding caused it to be neglected however, and a century later the French occupiers decided to build a new opera behind the first one. It is a design from French architect Louis-Emmanuel Aimé Damesme in his characteristic neo-classic style, which can be easily recognized on the facade. After Napoleons demise, the liberated city decided to simply finish the nearly completed building, and it was officially opened in 1819. The opera played an important role in the independence of Belgium. When in the night of 25 August 1830 the French opera The Mute of Portici was performed to celebrate the 58^th anniversary of Dutch king Willem I, the audience was moved by the nationalistic themes of the work, and later that night anti-Dutch riots erupted in the city that would eventually lead to the Belgian Revolution, and Belgian independence later in 1830. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.8374.34581 Fox Square (Vossenplein) (Vossenplein  27  48  N12 ). 6:00-14:00 daily. This historic square is the scene of a daily flea market in the heart of the Marollen quarter, one of the oldest neighborhoods of the city, which until today retains much of its 18^th and 19^th century atmosphere. Before 1853, a locomotive factory called The Fox Company occupied the area, in the large workhop halls of which famous Brussels painter Antoine Wiertz (see Antoine Wiertz Museum) made many of his large paintings. The closure of The Fox Company gave the city the opportunity to acquire the land, raze the workshops, and transform the area into the square it is today, of which construction completed in 1863. When the inner ring was constructed on the trajectory of the city walls in the first half of the 19^th century, the city council deemed the many markets "considerably impairing the appearance of the new boulevards", and sought to relocate them in 1873. Its name, Fox Square is still a reference to The Fox Company, and it is still associated with the daily flea markets held here. Initially it was open to anyone, but nowadays street vendors have to register with the city council to be allowed to set up a stand. In the early 20^th century, a 300 m² bomb shelter was dug under the square, but never used. Fans of comic hero Tintin will recognize Fox Square as the flea market where Tintin buys the model of the boat of the Unicorn. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.83754.3453133 Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Onbevlekt-Ontvangenkerk), Vossenplein 23B. This Italian neo-Romanesque church was built to the north-west side of the Fox Square between 1854 and 1862, and was part of the Capucin convent. Its history dates back to 1587 when Parma requested the Capucines to settle in Brussels. Unfortunately, in 1796 their monastery was raided by the French during their occupation of Belgium, and sold just like most other religious buildings at the time. The Capucines returned in 1852 and the church was built to allow them to settle near the Fox Square. Charle-Albert manufactured the oak altar, with other interior elements made by Oscar Tinel. The church received considerable media attention when prince Laurent celebrated his marriage with a service here, although the actual wedding took place in the St. Gudula and St. Michael Cathedral. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.878874.3556334 Church of Our Lady of Laeken (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk te Laken) (Princess Clementine  62  93  or Bockstael), ☏ +32 2 551 20 20, [email protected]. The church is best known for its connection with the royal family, many of which are burried in the crypt below it. Construction started in 1854 in a neogothic style after a design of Joseph Poelaert, and a placque commemorating construction can be seen in the floor of the choir. The west wing and tower are a design from German architect Friedrich von Schmidt. With a heigt of 74 m, the tower can be seen from many places in Brussels. The church hosts numerous pieces of religious fine art, including a sculpture of the Lady Mary from the 13^th century, a sculpture of St. Rochus from the 18^th century, and a buste of rector Van Waeyenberg of Leuven University. One of the windows depicts a tribute to soldiers who gave their life defending the country during the First World War. Guided tours are available on request. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.879244.3553535 Royal Crypt (Koninklijke Crypte), ☏ +32 2 551 20 2. Open 1^st Sunday of January, March, April, May, June and October from 14:00 to 17:00, also open on 17/02, 31/07, 29/08, 25/09, 01/11, 15/11, and 05/12 from 14:00 to 17:00. Crypt under the church, with tombs of royal family members and their spouses. Constructed under a cupola behind the choir, it is accessible with 2 staircases from the church. The monumental oak doors are engraved with mosaics of coat of arms of the 9 Belgian provinces. The central white marble tomb is occupied by the first king of Belgium, Leopold I, and his second wise Queen Louise of Orleans. The crown symbolizes the tomb of a king. Around the central tomb are the tombs of his successors and their spouses. The niches in the walls host other members of the royal family, including the regent of Belgium, Prince Charles, and other princes and princesses. The crypt was constructed as an initiative of Queen Louise because she preferred to be burried in Laken instead of in the Cathedral of St. Gudula and St. Michael closer to the city center. A contest for a design was organized and won by Joseph Poelaert (known as the architect of the monumental Palace of Justice). Construction started in 1854 and the crypt was commissioned in 1872 althogh the rest of the church was only finished by 1907. Because king Leopold I was not a catholic, it was decided to construct another entrance in the back wall of the crypt so that the deceased king body didn't have to pass through the catholic church above. The crypt is open to the public 13 days per year, and occasionally members of the royal family can be spotted in the crypt to honor the deceased with flowers. According to the legend, faint whining can be heard in the crypt, attributed to the ghost of Queen Fabiola still refusing to die. Free. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.862744.3749736 Beer Museum (Musée Schaarbeekois de la Bière), Louis Bertrandlaan 33-35 (St-Servaaskerk  92 ), ☏ +32 470 81 43 00, [email protected]. W 14:00-18:00, Sa 14:00-18:00. The Brussels Beer Museum, founded in 1993 by a group of 11 volunteers and beer enthusiasts. It opened in 1994 and has expanded ever since. Its collection consists of over 2000 bottles of Belgian beers, their corresponding glasses, machines and equipment used in the brewing process, copper couldrons, signs, trays, objects related to advertising, and so on. The museum also hosts a tavern where many beers can be tasted, including the Schaerbeekoise, the museum's own beer that is brewed at the Rocs Abbey since 1994, and is among Belgiums strongest beers with an alcohol content of 9.5%. The bottles are sold in a gift package, making the perfect souvenir. €3 (includes beer tasting), guided tours available from €50. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.847254.3805137 Hotel van Eetvelde, Palmerstonlaan 4 (Palmerston  60  63  64  N05 ). Not an actual hotel but a town house designed in 1895 in art nouveau style by renowed architect Victor Horta, as residence for Edmond van Eetvelde, the administrator of the Congo. It is one of epoch-making urban residences Victor Horta designed before 1900, making visible use of materials like steel and glass, then a novelty for prestigious private residences due to their industrial outlook. The building is easily recognizable by the hanging steel structure for the facade. The interior receives sun light through a central reception room covered by a stained-glass cupola, as well as a winter garden using glass in a stainless steel framework. The residence was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, and is currently owned by an energy supplier. Guided tours from €20. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.850814.3485938 St. Catherine Church (Sint-Katelijnekerk), Sint-Katelijneplein ( Sint-Katelijne  M1  M5 ). One of the larger roman catholic churches in Brussels, it was constructed between 1854 and 1874 in a wide variety of architectural styles after a design of architect Joseph Poelaert (who had gained fame with the construction of the Palace of Justice), and finished by Poelaerts apprentice Wynand Janssens. Initially located at the end of the St. Catherine dock next to the Willebroek canal, the building is overlooking the Fish Market (Vismet) since the decommissioning and dredging of the dock in 1870, with only ponds on the market square giving visitors an impression how it used to look like. The surrounding street names Baksteenkaai (Brick Wharf) and Brandhoudkaai (Firewood Wharf) are still a reminder of the industrial heritage of the quarter. Points of interest inside the church are a 14^th century statue of the black Madonna and a painted wooden sculpture of Catherine of Alexandria complete with the wheel on which she was tortured. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.850364.3482539 St. Catherine's Tower (Sint-Katelijnetoren), Sint-Katelijneplein. The bell tower of the 15^th century church preceding the current St. Catherine's Church. The church was demolished in 1893 to make room for the new and larger design, but the baroque tower dating from 1629 was preserved. It was restored between 1913 and 1930, and currently classified as a historical monument. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.85084.3498240 Black Tower (Zwarte Toren), Sint-Katelijneplein 29 (Sint-Katelijne  M1  M5 ). The best conserverd remnant of the city's first fortifications, built in the early 13^th century. When the second fortifications were built at the end of the 14^th century, adapting city defenses to its growth in size, the towers original function became obsolete. Owernship was transferred to a private landlord, which allowed the tower to survive unharmed over the course of the centuries. For example, it survived the construction of a new dock in the 16^th century where the St. Catherine Church is now located, and was transformed into a tavern for the dock workers and sailers called "In the Tower". It was threatened by demolition in 1888 when the street was dug open for the construction of sewage pipes, but then mayor Charles Buls saved the tower with a veto and assigned architect Victor Jamaer to restore it. The gable and roof are new addtions that were added during these restoration efforts. As the old city made room for new developments, the tower became increasinly isolated, first surrounded by a clothing store in the 19^th century and later by a hotel. It is protected as cultural heritage since 1937, and plays an important role in popular culture, most notably the adventures of Belgian comic hero Nero by Marc Sleen. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.841544.3511441 Church of Our Lady of the Chapel (Kapellekerk), Kapellemarkt ( Kapellekerk  27  38  48  N12 ). One of the most famous gothic catholic churches in Brussels, it derives its name from a chapel outside the city walls founded by the duke of Brabant in 1134. It started as a church in roman-gothic style in 1250, followed by a gothic choir a quarter century later. Destroyed by a fire in 1405, the church was rebuilt in a Brabantian gothic style between 1421 and 1483, with the exception of the west tower. Shortly after the French assault of 1695, the tower was completed in its characteristic baroque style, a design of masonry expert Antoon Pastorana. The interior of the church is decorated with many engravings and sculptures, including work of Hiëronymus Duquesnoy de Jonge and Lucas Faydherbe. The church also serves as a tomb for Flemish painter Pieter Brueghel de Oude, one of the Flemish Masters, who was burried here in 1569. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.851034.338242 MIMA (Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art), Henegouwenkaai 39-41 ( Triangle  82  86 ), ☏ +32 472 61 03 51, [email protected]. W-Su 10:00-18:00. Museum for contemporary art on the west bank of the Brussels-Charleroi canal, opened in 2016. The museum gives a new purpose to the former Belle Vue brewery building. It has a permanent collection of some 40 pieces donated to the museum, and organizes a variety of temporary exhibitions. Spread over 4 floors, the museum offers a shop, a restaurant and 2 panoramic view points over the Brussels-Charleroi canal. The main focus is art from the 21^st century under the slogan Culture 2.0, with a strong link to music: rock, electro, hiphop, and folk. Other interests include tattoos, urban street art, graffiti, and sports such as skateboarding and surfing. With over 36 000 visitors in 2016, the museum is quickly rising in popularity. The founder, Alice van den Abeele, was voted one of the 28 most influential people in Europe by Politico Europe in 2017. Adults €9.5, students and seniors €7.5, children free. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.844954.3549843 Art Thema Gallery (  M1  M5  Centraal Station  29  38  48  63  65  66  71  86  or Bozar  38  71 ), ☏ +32 2 514 31 73, [email protected]. Th-M 11:00-18:30, by appointment Tu and W. Gallery for contemporary art, with works of Caroline Brisset, Lou-Brice Léonard, Peter Henri Stein, and countless others on display. The gallery covers the entire spectrum of fine arts, including sculptures, statues, and installations. Exhibitions regularly take place, the recurruring one is Resident Artists, on artists who work and live in the workshop of the gallery. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.843844.356844 Hill of Arts (Kunstberg), Kunstberg (  M1  M5  Centraal Station  29  38  48  63  65  66  71  86  or Bozar  38  71 ). 24/7. The hill (often referred to its historic French name Mont des Arts, literally Mountain of Arts) is the northern slope of the Koudenberg, and roughly halfway between the Royal Palace and the Grand Place. One of the first and oldest residential neighborhoods of Brussels, the St. Rochus Quarter (Sint-Rochuswijk in Dutch) was here. By the 15^th century, the quarter had become a ghetto for Jews, and to contain the problem, large sections of the quarter were claimed by the city for the construction of administrative buildings and palaces. Between the 15^th and 18^th century, monumental palaces were constructed: the Palace of Nassau from 1440 to ca. 1750, the Palace of Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine (1757), the Granvelle Palace (1555-1931) and the Palace of the Coudenberg (mid 14^th century until 1731). At the end of the 19^th century, King Leopold II launched the idea to transform what was left of the St. Rochus Quarter into the cultural heart of Belgium, and finally deal with the Jew problem. Various architects made designs for the hill, and King Leopold II himself acquired all the properties in the meedieval quarter, which were subsequently razed, and the Jews were expelled to Antwerp where they still thrive today. Only the Palace of Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine and the Granvelle Palace were preserved. Unfortunately, the Belgian government refused to fund the king's project, and for 8 years the large area remained an unused brownfield, and an eye sore in the heart of the capital. With the upcoming World Fair of 1910, King Leopold II commissioned Parisian architect Pierre Vacherot to hastilty find a new purpose for the area. He designed a monumental staircase with numerous fountains, waterfalls and sculptures. The park was inaugurated by the king's successor and son, King Albert I, in 1910 after the death of his father. When Brussels prospered after the Second World War and funding was no longer a problem, the original project was revived, and many buildings constructed that remain today: the Royal Albertina Library, the Congress Palace, and the Dynasty Palace. The current layout follows a design of architect Jules Ghobert, whereas the Albertina was designed by Maourice Houyoux. The park gradually shrunk to make room for these new buildings, as well as for parking garages and the Central Station. The current park, Tuin van de Kustberg in Dutch (literally: garden of the Hill of Arts), was a design of garden architect René Pechère, which were complemented with a few new buildings for the 1958 World's Fair. The staircase offers visitors one of the most spectacular views over the city, looking out over the Grand Place. When the weather is clear, the Koekelberg Basilica and even the Atomium can be seen in the distance. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.847914.3515945 St. Nicholas Church (St-Niklaaskerk), Boterstraat (  3  4  Beurs  48  87  95 ), ☏ +32 474 97 1 7 82, [email protected]. M-F 10:00-17:30, Sa-Su 9:00-18:00. One of the oldest remaining churches of Brussels, the history of the St. Nicholas Church dates back to the 12^th century with the construction of a chapel for traders in the market district. It is named after St. Nicholas, the protector of merchants in Christian mythology. The church had a turbulent history and suffered many natural and cultural distasters. Its belfry tower was destroyed by a storm in 1367, but had been rebuilt by 1380 in the new Gothic style of the era, but with preservation of the Romaneque foundations. One of the first automated mechanical clocks in the world were installed in the tower. It served as the meeting hall of the city council, and trumpetters announced new acts and decisions. Between 1662 and 1665 an additional floor and dome was added by architect Leo van Heil. It then was attacked by iconoclasts in the 16^th century, which became a Parish church in 1618. It was again under attack in 1695 by French marshall Villeroy whose cannons destroyed nearly the entire center of the city and started a fire in the church. The bells crashed down from the bell tower. One of the cannon balls, penetrating one of the stone pillars, can still be seen today. Once again the church was rebuilt in 1712-1713, and architect Willem De Bruyn replaced the upper floors. Unfortunately, proper foundations were neglected, and because of the marsh around the Zenne, the tower collapsed for a second time in 1714. The City Museum has a scale model of the tower on display that eventually never got erected. It took until 1956 for the Gothic front of the church to be rebuilt after the collapse of the tower, but small Romaneque remains can also be observed. A final restoration was completed between 2002 and 2006. The church is under the care of Father Mario Rosas, and religious ceremonies are still frequently held in the church. The buildings to the south east side of the church have been occupied by merchants throughout the churches' history, and give a good impression of the size and scale of merchant houses in Medieval Brussels. The peculiar orientation of the building is attributed to the flow of the original Zenne river. Of particular interest in the interior of the church are the choir chairs dating from 1381, with medaillons telling the story of St. Nicholas. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.80754.38421346 Villa Empain, Franklin Rooseveltlaan 67 ( Solbosch  25 ), ☏ +32 2 627 52 30, [email protected]. Tu-Su 11:00-18:00. Villa Empain was designed by Swiss architect Michel Polak as a private residence in Art Deco style, and built between 1930 and 1934 by industrialist Baron Édouard Empain. Unlike similar Art Deco buildings of its time, Villa Empain was decorated with works of many different artists and as a result boasts a greater diversity than for example the Stocklet Palace. Empain donated the property to the Belgian state in 1937, with the intention of turning it into a museum of decorative and contemporary art. The foundation, known as the Le Cambre School hosted various exhibition in the villa until 1943 when the occupying German Wehrmacht requisitioned it during the Second World War. After the war it served as the Embassy of the Soviet Union until the 1970s, when it was occupied by a local TV station and abandoned in the 1990s. The neglected building was purchased in 2000 by Stéphan Jourdain, a shady businessman who proceeded to strip the building from many of its unique artifacts, until the vandalism was discovered by the Brussels Monuments and Sites conversation society that responded by locking down the site in 2001. Once again the building remained abandoned and fell prey to vandalism and squatters until the property was acquired by the Boghossian Foundation in 2008 and extensively renovated. The responsibilty for the renovation was given to French architect Francis Metzger who previously had successfully completed renovations of the Solvay Library and the Central Station. With a budget of €4 million, the aim of the renovation was to restore the villa to its 1934 outlook. From its inauguration as a musem and art exhibition center in 2010, the villa has hosted many concerts, conferences and cultural events, for which it was awarded the European Prize for Cultural Heritage in 2011. It is open to the public and can be visited, along with a museum souvenir shop and a café. Adults €10, seniors €8, students €4. (updated May 2018)

• 50.845354.3503347 Tintin Mural, Stoofstraat 33. 24/7. A 36m² mural of Tintin, one of Belgium's most famous comic book heroes, and his sidekick Captain Haddock escaping the building on an emergency ladder. The mural was painted by Georgios Oreopoulos and David Vandegeerde in 2005, and is one of over 50 comic book themed murals in Brussels. The project started in 1993, when deputy Michel Van Roye banned ugly advertising panels within the inner city, and the Comic Book Museum (Stripmuseum) suggested to fill the liberated areas on building walls with large murals after the example of Angouleme where a similar comic book wall existed, a work of Erro from 1985. The collection of murals is still expanded very year, and travelers will encounter many in the inner city. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.840324.3561948 Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Zavelkerk), Regentschapsstraat 9 ( Kleine Zavel  27  92  93  95 ). The history of this Roman Catholic church dates back to the early 13th century when Henry I, Duke of Brabant, recognized the Noble Serment of Crossbowmen as a guild, thereby granting them privileges and allowing them to build a small chapel on a plot of land just outside the city walls, then known as the Zavel after the structure of the sand. It became known as the chapel of the Crossbow Guild. According to the legend, a local devout named Beatrijs Soetkens, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary instructed her to steal a statue from the cathedral of Antwerp, bring it to Brussels, and place it in the chapel of the Crossbow Guild. Through some miraculous events she managed to bring the statue to Brussels by boat in 1348, and venerated as the patron of the Guild. From then on, they held an annual procession through the city, called the Ommegang, which grew into an important religious event. The construction of the current church, which replaced the chapel, started in the 15th century and lasted almost a century. The choir was finished in 1435, as testified by mural paintings of that date. In the 16th century the church was sacked by Calvinists, and the statue brought by Beatrijs Soetkens was destroyed. After demolition of the city walls and completion of the Regentschapsstraat in 1872, numerous buildings constructed adjacent to the church were torn down, and the construction turned out to be heavily dilapidated. Renovations were carried out immediately, and the church was restored to its former glory. With its 24 m width and 65 m height, it remains one of the most important gothic brabantine churches in Belgium. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.890844.3591249 Royal Greenhouses (Koningklijke serres), Koninklijke Parklaan ( Koninklijke Serres  53 ), ☏ +32 2 279 22 11. The Roal Greenhouses are a vast complex of monumental heated greenhouses in the park of the Royal Castle, containting a variety of tropical, sub tropical and temperate plants and trees. The history of the greenhouses dates back to the 18th century, when king Leopold II changed the layout of the surrounding garden and commissioned architect Alphonse Balat to design a series of greenhouses. Starting in 1874, the construction of the greenhouses took over 20 years and was finalized in 1895 with the erection of the Iron Church, a domed greenhouse which would originally serve as the royal chapel. The largest greenhouse, the dome shaped Winter Garden, has a diameter of 60 m and a height of 30 m, designed in an art nouveau style with iron and glass as construction materials. With a floor surface of 25 000 m², the numerous greenhouses are connected with glass covered galleries and locks to retain temperature differences appropriate for the vegetation. Over 800 m³ of oil is burned each year to maintain the temperature. The botanical collection includes numerous species from Africa, although many cultivars have been lost since the death of king Leopold II. The camellias collection in particular, with over 1000 plants, is the world's oldest and largest collection in a greenhouse. The complex can only be visited by the public during a two-week period in April-May when most flowers are in full bloom, as dictated by Leopold II and followed as a tradition by all kings thereafter. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.8473324.35465450 St. Hubert Royal Galleries (Sint Hubertusgalerijen) (  M1  M5  Centraal Station  29  38  48  63  65  66  71  86 ), ☏ +32 2 545 09 90. 24/7. Considered one of the world's first shopping malls, the galleries preceded other famous 19th century shopping arcades such as those in Milan and St. Petersburg. It has twin facades with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquencento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with delicate cast-iron framework. It consists of 2 sections, each over 100 m in length: the King Gallery (Koningsgallerij) and the Queen Gallery (Koniginnegallerij). They meet at the Butcher's Street (Beenhouwersstraat) with a slight bend, this was introduced intentionally to make the long perspective of the gallery, with its repetiton of arches and windows, less tedious. The complex was designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer who was determined to sweep away the labyrinth of dark alleys between the Grasmarkt and Warmoesberg by replacing it with an upscale shopping area. His idea, conceived in 1836 only a few years after Belgian independence, was finally autorized in 1845. The project met fierce opposition from the local community, which saw much of its property destroyed by the monumental project. Construction started in 1846 and lasted 18 months, when it was inaugurated by King Leopold, the first king of the independent Belgian nation. The galleries remain a shopping district today, but have turned into a tourist trap with inflated prices. They are worth a visit for the architecture and ambience, but don't buy anything there -- the same souvenirs and chocolates sold in the galleries can be found elsewhere in the city at much reduced rates. Free.  
• 50.847974.3472551 St. Gorik Hall (Sint-Gorikshallen), Sint-Goriksplein 1 (  3  4  Beurs  48  87  95 ). 10:00-18:00 daily. The hall is a former covered marketplace in the middle of St. Gorik Square, and in use as event space and temporary exposition area. Their history dates back to the early days of Brussels, when at its location, multiple small islands existed in the Zenne, the river flowing through (and nowadays underneath) the city. A chapel was erected in the 12th century, which was replaced by a gothic church in the 16th century but destroyed during the French occupation between 1798 and 1801. The city cleared the rubble in 1802 and ordered the construction of a marketplace with as central point a fountain with a pyramidical shape. This fountain dates from 1767 and was a gift form the Abbey of Grimbergen, it is on display in the hall. When the Zenne was covered in 1881 and the neighborhood reorganized, construction of the current hall was commenced. After a design of architect Adolphe Vanderheggen, the building with a facade in Flemish neorenaissance style with steel skeleton was inaugurated a year later and presented a counter and four double rows of market booths. The hall remained in use throughout the first half of the 20th century, but after the Second World War it lost its significance, until closure followed in 1977. Having architectural value, the Brussels Capital Region acquired the building in 1987 and gave it a proteted status. The halls were turned into an information and exposition area in 1999, and have been opened to the public ever since. There is a café inside, but visitors do not need to feel obliged to make a purchase to visit and take a look around. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.833014.3448952 Halle Gate (Hallepoort) (  M2  3  4  M6  Hallepoort  51 ), [email protected]. Tu-F 9:30-17:00, Sa-Su 10:00-17:00. The last surviving city gate, it was part of the second walls of Brussels, and built in 1381 as an extension of the first walls which started to become too small to accommodate the growing Medieval city. It is named after the city of Halle which it faces. The original design included a portcullis and a drawbridge over a moat, the structures that housed these are still visible today. Already in the 16th century, it became evident that the fortifications and gates were insufficient to protect the city against newer siege weapons, and in 1564 the Gate was relieved of her defensive function. The function of the Halle Gate first changed to a prison, later it saw use as a customs house, as grain storage, and as a Lutheran church. At the end of the 18th century the fortifications had lost nearly all their functions, and demolishing started under pressure of the expanding city. Whereas the other 6 city gates were demolished together with the defensive walls, the Halle Gate survived because it of its function as an archive, but maintenance started to be neglected. Between 1868 and 1870, architect Henri Beyaert restored the building, changing the medieval tower to a more Neo Gothic look. The outer entrance, now facing St. Gillis, is closer to the original appearance. Beyaert added a circular tower topped by a conical roof, containting a monumental spiral stairase, as well as turrets and a lare roof. The Gate became a museum in 1847 when it was assigned to the Musuem of Armour, Antiquity and Ethnology (now named the Royal Museums for Art and History). It soon became too small, and in 1889 the collection was moved to the Centenary Museum. By 1976 the building was in a dangerous state of disrepair which forced it to be closed to the public. Lack of funding stalled restorations, and part of the Gate was reopened in 1991 but only for temporary exhibitions. New extensive restorations began in 2007, and the Gate was returned to its 19th-century glory a year later when it reopened with its prestigious entrance completely restored. The Gate houses a permanent exhibition on its history, and on the defenses of the city. The collection includes parade armor of Archduke Albert of Austria, among many other armaments and armour. The Guild Room offers an impression on the history and importance of guilds in medieval Brussels. The walkway around the battlements offers visitors a wonderful panorama of the city. adults €7, seniors €5, childen and students €3. (updated May 2018)

• 50.854374.3649753 Botanical Garden (Kruidtuin), Koningsstraat 236 (  M2  M6  Kruidtuin  61  92  93 ), ☏ +32 2 218 37 32, [email protected]. The original botanical garden is used as a park and its greenhouse as a concert venue. It started in the 18th century as a small plot in the garden of the former palace of Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, but it became under threat in 1826 when the Royal Library and several other projects sought to reclaim the area. To preserve the collection, a collective of herbalists and botanists acquired a new plot of land just outside the city walls, which by then consisted of a collection of ponds, woods and allotments. The area was reorganized by architect Charles-Henri Petersen, and opened as the botanical garden of the city in 1829, just before Belgium gained its independence. The garden saw expansions in 1842 and 1854 and became popular among locals who, in those days, did not have the opportunity to travel, and saw many exotic plants in the garden for the first time. Although the garden was sponsored by the government from 1837 onwards, mismanagement caused the garden to slip into debt, and the owners were forced to sell land to allow construction of the North Station, and also started to sell off the botanical collection itself, which endangered the original didactic and scientific purposes of the garden. The government intervened and purchased the garden in 1870, thereby preserving its panorama and function as a park and for scientific purporses. Many areas saw reconstruction, and many decorations, rock arrangements, greenhouses etc. date from this period. The garden flourished and remained popular, but became under increased pressure by civil construction projects, most notably the expansion of the North-South railway link, the expansing of the inner ring causeway after the city walls were demolished, and the St. Lazare street which slices the park. It became impossible to maintain the botanical collection, and it was decided to move it to Meise, a town to the North of Brussels near Grimbergen. The park underwent its last restauration in 1958 for the World Fair, when architect René Pechère harmonized it after the relocation of much of the collection to Meise. It became a protected monument in 1964. Curiously, the botanical garden is credited with the invention of witloof, a local specialty, and the dark outgrowns of chicory. According to an urban legend, witloof was first created in the mushroom cellar of the botanical garden when Frans Breziers forced chicory to grow in the dark in 1850. Witloof is nowadays a popular vegetable in Brussels and Flanders, and can be purchased in most grocery stores in season. Its white leaves are refreshing and crunchy, although they have a rather bitter taste. It can be eaten fresh, or takes on a sweeter taste after cooking. Free. (updated May 2018)

• 50.846674.3524154 Grand Place (Grote Markt) ( Central Station,  M1  M5  Central Station or De Brouckère). 24/7. Surrounded by beautiful 300-year-old buildings. In the evening, lit by bright illumination, it is simply ravishing. Some evenings a music and light show is provided with the buildings serving as a canvas. Have a Belgian waffle with caramelized sugar here — the best ones are available from the little shops off the northeast corner of the Grand Place. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free. (updated Jul 2017)

• 50.846514.3517155 City Hall (Stadhuis), Grote Markt. The oldest part of the present Town Hall is its east wing (to the right when facing the front). This wing, together with a shorter belfry, was built and completed in 1420 under direction of Jacob van Thienen. Initially, future expansion of the building was not foreseen, however, the admission of the craft guilds into the traditionally patrician city government apparently spurred interest in providing more room the building. As a result, a second, somewhat longer wing was built on to the existing structure, with Charles the Bold laying its first stone in 1444. This left wing was built by Guillaume de Voghel who in 1452 also built the Magna Aula at the Coudenberg. The facade is decorated with numerous statues representing nobles, saints, and allegorical figures. The present sculptures are reproductions; the originals have been moved to the city museum. The 96-meter tall tower in Brabantine Gothic style emerged from the plans of Jan van Ruysbroek, the court architect of Philip the Good. By 1454 this tower replacing the older belfry was completed. Above the roof of the Town Hall, the square tower body narrows to a lavishly pinnacled octagonal openwork. Atop the spire stands a 5-meter tall gilt metal statue of the archangel Michael, patron saint of Brussels, slaying a dragon or devil. The tower, its front archway and the main building facade are conspicuously off centre relative to one another. According to legend, the architect upon discovering this "error" leaped to his death from the tower. More likely, the asymmetry of the Town Hall was an accepted consequence of the scattered construction history and space constraints. After the bombardment of Brussels in 1695 by a French army under the Duke of Villeroi, the resulting fire completely gutted the Town Hall, destroying the archives and the art collections. The interior was soon rebuilt, and the addition of two rear wings transformed the L-shaped building into its present configuration: a quadrilateral with an inner courtyard completed by Corneille Van Nerven in 1712. The Gothic interior was revised by Victor Jamar in 1868 in the style of his mentor Viollet-le-Duc. The halls have been replenished with tapestries, paintings, and sculptures, largely representing subjects of importance in local and regional history. The Town Hall accommodated not only the municipal authorities of the city, but until 1795 also the States of Brabant. In 1830, a provisional government assembled here during the attempt of the Third French Revolution which provoked the separation of the Southern Netherlands from the Northern Netherlands, resulting in the formation of Belgium as is known now. At the start of World War I, as refugees flooded Brussels, Town Hall served as a makeshift hospital. On 20 August 1914, the occupying German army arrived at the Grand Place and hoisted a German flag at the left side of the Town Hall. The Town Hall has been designated a historic monument since 9 March 1936. (updated Oct 2017)
• 50.846964.3528256 King's House (Broodhuis), Grote Markt. A 19th-century building hosting the Brussels City Museum, with an extensive collection items of the city's history. The Dutch name Broodhuis (literally bread house) dates from the 13th century, when a wooden hut existed on the grand place where bakers sold their bread. It was replaced by a stone building in 1405, but at the beginning of the 15th century it was gradually abandoned when bakers started selling their wares door to door. The vacant building was then occupied by the Duke of Brabant, turning it into an administrative centre, and renaming it to Duke's House ('s Hertogenhuys). It later became the property of emperor Charles V, but its condition soon deteriorated due to lack of maintenance, and was razed to the ground at orders of the emperor. This architect Antoon II Keldermans was commissioned to design a new building in Gothic style, the plans finished in 1514 and construction was carried uit from 1515 to 1536. After Keldermans' death, subsequent architects finished the building. Under Spanish reign, queen Isabella of Spain ordered the renovation of the facade in 1625 and placed it under protection of the Holy Mary foundation. During French bombardments in 1695, the building was damaged to such an extent that extensive maintenance was required, but due to lacking finances this was limited to the minimal efforts to prevent collapse. Only in 1767 a second renovation was carried out. Taken over by the city of Brussels in the 1860, the house was renamed House of the People (Volkshuis), but fell prey to decay a second time and razed at the end of the 19th century, then reconstructed in neo-Gothic style, which was very popular at the time. It was one of the achievements of major Carl Buls, known for his progressive ideas, and Jules Anspach. Construction responsibilities were assigned to architect Pierre-Victor Jamaer, who constructed the building based on the original plans of Antoon Keldermans. Construction started in 1873 and took over 20 years and cost 2 million francs, which was a fortune at the time. It became the best example of neo-Gothic style in Belgium, and assigned the function of city museum in 1887. From 1895 to 1895, the belfry's carillon featured 49 bells, which were planned to be extended by another 6 bells in 1895, and moved to the City Hall's belfry. However, this was never carried out because of the failing mechanism of the carrillon, and it was eventually removed from the Belfry completely in 1898. The belfry has remained empty ever since. Since 1998 the King's House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It hosts many statues that used to decorate the City Hall and were removed and replaced with replicas to preserve the originals. Over 500 costumes of Mannenken Pis are stored in the basement of the King's House, and a smaller selection is on display. (updated Jun 2018)
• 50.846344.3523357 Everard t'Serclaes monument, Grote Markt (De Sterre gallery, south-west of the Grand Place). 24/7. Sculpture from Brussels artist Julien Dillens, commemorating Everard t'Serclaes (1320-1388). t'Serclaes was a Brussels citizen who gained fame with his recovery of the city from the Flemings. After the death of John III of Brabant in 1355, his daughter Joanna and her busband Wenceslaus succeeded him as the rules of the duchy. The count of Flanders, Louis de Male, disputed the legitimacy of the succession however, and seized the city after defeating the Brabantian defenders at Scheute. Louis' legions didn't feel much for a long standing occupation of the city, and his garrison was thinly manned. This gave t'Serclaes the chance to gather a group of 66 partisans and scale the city walls in the night of of 24 October 1356. They managed to reach the Grand Place and lowered the Flemish flag from the town hall, replacing it with the Brabantian flag. When Brussels citizens saw the Brabantian flag restored in the morning, they revolted against Louis' occupying forces and drove them out of the city, after 2 weeks of occupation. t'Serclaes became a hero for liberating the city, and after re-entry of Joanna, he was made alderman for 5 terms. His luck didn't last however, and on 26 March 1388 he was ambushed by bandits on his way from Lennik to Brussels, who cut off a foot and ripped out his tongue. The mutilated t'Serclaes was found by civil servants shorty afterwards and carried to Brussels on a cart, where he died 5 days later from his injuries. The scupture of t'Serclaes, erected in 1902, is located under the gallery of De Sterre, where t'Serclaes arrived on the cart and tried to talk to Joanna but couldn't make himself understandable without his tongue. The caption of the sculpture of dying t'Serclaes is Eberhardo t'Serclaes Patriae Liberatori (Eberhardo t'Serclaes, liberator of his city) and Pro aris et focis (For home and hearth). During the interbellum, a salesman of the Sunday market spread the rumor that rubbing the right arm of the sculpture would bring luck, whoever rubbed it would return to Brussels. The sculpture has been intensively rubbed by locals and tourists since, and the original was moved to the town hall after renovation in 2011. The current sculpture is a messing copy. (updated Jun 2018)

• 50.844994.3499858 Manneken Pis, Stoofstraat 57 (walk south-west from the Grand Place in the street adjacent to the City Hall). 24/7. A short walk from the Grand Place, Manneken Pis can be found, a small bronze statue thought to represent the "irreverent spirit" of Brussels. This is a statue of a child urinating into a pool. Belgians have created hundreds of outfits for this statue. There are many stories of the statue's origins. It is believed to have been inspired by a child who, while in a tree, found a special way to drive away invading troops. Another story goes that a father was missing his child and made a declaration to the city that when he found him he would build a statue of him, doing whatever it was that he was doing. It has also been said a witch turned him to stone for peeing on her property. Yet another story goes that Brussels was under siege and enemies had planted explosives in the city; a boy saw the lit fuse and urinated on it, preventing the explosives from blowing up thus saving the city. The most likely scenario is that it was the location of the market for urine, which was used for its ammonia content to tan leathers. None are definitively true. In 1747, Louis XV's soldiers stole the statue, upsetting many of the city's residents. Louis XV made it up to the city by giving the statue a medal of honor (so that he must be saluted when French soldiers pass by) and by giving him an outfit. He now gets dressed up on special occasions. Although a famous icon of Brussels and a source of inspiration for countless souvenirs, Mannenken Pis is an overhyped attraction that frequently tops polls ranking the world's biggest tourist traps, and definitely not worth a major detour to take a look at. Free.