Xenia's Brussels guidebook
Food scene
Gare Maritime is a pioneering hub combining retail, work and hang out experiences, located along the canal in the progressive city district of Tour & Taxis.
As the bustling heart of the Tour & Taxis neighbourhood, Gare Maritime mixes and matches co-creation-based businesses, a food hall, bars, food markets, terraces and unconventional shops.
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Gare Maritime
11 Rue PicardGare Maritime is a pioneering hub combining retail, work and hang out experiences, located along the canal in the progressive city district of Tour & Taxis.
As the bustling heart of the Tour & Taxis neighbourhood, Gare Maritime mixes and matches co-creation-based businesses, a food hall, bars, food markets, terraces and unconventional shops.
Sightseeing
Besides being one of the most beautiful landmarks of Brussels, the Grand Place has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The large square paved with cobblestones feels like an open-air museum, as it is surrounded by majestic monuments like the guild houses, the Museum of the City of Brussels and the town hall.
The grand majority of buildings have been constructed after the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. The French attacked the mostly defenseless city centre with cannons and mortars in an effort to draw the League of Augsburg's forces away from their siege on French-held Namur.
As a result, only the town hall and fragments of a few other buildings remained standing. The city’s guilds rebuilt most of the Grand Place in the following four years.
In case you won't notice : the town hall is not built symmetrically! The faulty symmetry is due to the fact that it was built in several stages, each one under the lead of different architects.
Although the gothic building looks good at first sight, you’ll notice that the tower is not exactly in the middle and that it has round windows on one side and square ones on the other…
Legend has it that the architect who designed the building committed suicide by jumping from the top of the belfry after realizing his mistake.
The spot has ever since been marked with a star. Truth is, the star represents the zero point in Brussels, the point from which the distance to the capital is measured. And the statue towering over the townhall is of Saint Michael, the patron saint of Brussels, slaying a demon.
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Гранд-Плас
Grote MarktBesides being one of the most beautiful landmarks of Brussels, the Grand Place has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The large square paved with cobblestones feels like an open-air museum, as it is surrounded by majestic monuments like the guild houses, the Museum of the City of Brussels and the town hall.
The grand majority of buildings have been constructed after the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. The French attacked the mostly defenseless city centre with cannons and mortars in an effort to draw the League of Augsburg's forces away from their siege on French-held Namur.
As a result, only the town hall and fragments of a few other buildings remained standing. The city’s guilds rebuilt most of the Grand Place in the following four years.
In case you won't notice : the town hall is not built symmetrically! The faulty symmetry is due to the fact that it was built in several stages, each one under the lead of different architects.
Although the gothic building looks good at first sight, you’ll notice that the tower is not exactly in the middle and that it has round windows on one side and square ones on the other…
Legend has it that the architect who designed the building committed suicide by jumping from the top of the belfry after realizing his mistake.
The spot has ever since been marked with a star. Truth is, the star represents the zero point in Brussels, the point from which the distance to the capital is measured. And the statue towering over the townhall is of Saint Michael, the patron saint of Brussels, slaying a demon.
Situated between the Place Royale and the Grand Place, the Mont des Arts connects downtown with uptown Brussels. Once you’ve walked through the Mont des Arts garden and climbed up the stairs towards the fountain, you’ll be treated to one of the most iconic views of Brussels.
Downtown Brussels stretches out in front of you, with the tower of the magnificent Brussels town hall dominating the scene. The view is especially captivating around sunset, when the evening sun paints the sky in different shades of pink and orange. On a clear day, you can even spot the basilica of Koekelberg and the Atomium.
Make sure to also have a look at the other monuments and buildings around you as well!
Nearby, a remarkable bell chime adorns the rear façade of the Dynasty Palace. It is a large golden wall clock with twelve figures from Belgian history and folk culture.
A large bronze statue on top of the arcade hits the hour, thereby giving one of the twelve figures a cue to step forward, out of their niche. Every hour, the bells alternatively play ‘Oú peut-on être mieux and The Carillon Song.
Situated in the Rue Montagne de la Cour, a former Old England department store stands out with its beautiful Art Nouveau façade. Nowadays, it houses the Musical Instruments’ Museum or MIM, with more than 1200 exceptional musical instruments on display.
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Монт-де-Арт
Situated between the Place Royale and the Grand Place, the Mont des Arts connects downtown with uptown Brussels. Once you’ve walked through the Mont des Arts garden and climbed up the stairs towards the fountain, you’ll be treated to one of the most iconic views of Brussels.
Downtown Brussels stretches out in front of you, with the tower of the magnificent Brussels town hall dominating the scene. The view is especially captivating around sunset, when the evening sun paints the sky in different shades of pink and orange. On a clear day, you can even spot the basilica of Koekelberg and the Atomium.
Make sure to also have a look at the other monuments and buildings around you as well!
Nearby, a remarkable bell chime adorns the rear façade of the Dynasty Palace. It is a large golden wall clock with twelve figures from Belgian history and folk culture.
A large bronze statue on top of the arcade hits the hour, thereby giving one of the twelve figures a cue to step forward, out of their niche. Every hour, the bells alternatively play ‘Oú peut-on être mieux and The Carillon Song.
Situated in the Rue Montagne de la Cour, a former Old England department store stands out with its beautiful Art Nouveau façade. Nowadays, it houses the Musical Instruments’ Museum or MIM, with more than 1200 exceptional musical instruments on display.
Manneken Pis is definitely one of the most famous "monuments" in Brussels!
Standing on a socle in the Rue de l’Étuve, at a stone’s throw from the Grand Place, this little boy is peeing as a full-time job. In order to do this in style, he’s regularly dressed up in different costumes that refer to people or events… You can check out his full wardrobe in the museum GardeRobe Manneke Pis further up the Rue du Chêne.
You might be wondering why Belgians take so much pride in this little peeing boy. The truth is… nobody really knows.
Various legends are going around to explain his historical origin, among which the most famous one relates how a little boy was standing on the city wall and peed on a burning gunpowder fuse, thereby saving the city from a massive explosion. What a hero!
With his 61 centimeters in height, this bronze little hero also embodies the Brussels sense of humor and independence of mind.
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Манекен Піс
Manneken Pis is definitely one of the most famous "monuments" in Brussels!
Standing on a socle in the Rue de l’Étuve, at a stone’s throw from the Grand Place, this little boy is peeing as a full-time job. In order to do this in style, he’s regularly dressed up in different costumes that refer to people or events… You can check out his full wardrobe in the museum GardeRobe Manneke Pis further up the Rue du Chêne.
You might be wondering why Belgians take so much pride in this little peeing boy. The truth is… nobody really knows.
Various legends are going around to explain his historical origin, among which the most famous one relates how a little boy was standing on the city wall and peed on a burning gunpowder fuse, thereby saving the city from a massive explosion. What a hero!
With his 61 centimeters in height, this bronze little hero also embodies the Brussels sense of humor and independence of mind.