Postcards from... Brussels

A sudden desire to travel saw me whiling away whole evenings on Skyscanner looking for affordable flights to anywhere on the long list of places I still want to visit. And, when I came across a flight to Brussels for just €58 rtn (£47/US$80), I didn't think twice about booking it. Granted, it was with the infamous Ryanair, but hey, cheap is cheap.

When I told people I was going to Brussels, Belgium, the first question I got asked was why. And I guess that's understandable. After all, beyond the fact that it's the capital of the European Union (EU) and that it's famous for beer and chocolate, little more is known about it. But behind the prestige that comes with being the centre of the EU, behind the beer-lovers' paradise and the choco-tourism lies a city with a very turbulent history, a city that has been built and rebuilt through the ages...


The known side of Brussels

At the end of the 10th century, the current territory of Belgium was divided and controlled by opposing forces. The northern half belonged to Lothair, King of France (r. 954-986), while the south was in the hands of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II (r. 973-983). The Emperor wanted to prevent his enemies from entering his territory so he commissioned his cousin, Charles, Duke of Basse-Lotharingie (953-993), to build a fortress there. And thus, in 979, Brussels was born.

Situated on the islands of the Senne, defended by the river and surrounding swamps, the town was safe from attack. The name Brussels is derived from Old Dutch – Broekzele or Broeksel, meaning marsh (broek) and home (zele/sel), thus 'home in the marsh'. A town grew up around the fortress and became a trade centre. A square was converted into a market. Nedermerckt, as it was called, was the predecessor of the future Grand-Place (Grote Markt), which is where one's tour should start.

Measuring 68 x 110 metres (223 x 361 ft), the square is the most famous landmark in Brussels. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by some stunningly ornate buildings, among them the Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville/Stadhuis), the King's House (Maison du Roi, also known as the Breadhouse or Broodhuis in Dutch) and a number of guildhalls.

Until the end of the 14th century, Grand-Place contained only a few wooden houses and inns. But, as the town became more important, administrators decided to build a Town Hall. They bought up the wooden houses and demolished them. The first stone was laid in early 1402, and by 1420, the east wing (on the left in the photo) and a small belfry had been built in the Gothic style. At that time future additions were not foreseen. Consequently, the later 15th additions, which included the 96 metre (310 ft) high tower, led to the building becoming asymmetrical. In 1455, a gilded statue of St Michael slaying the devil was placed on top of the tower. This figure remained there until June 1996, when it was replaced with a new one.

During the bombardment of Brussels by the French in 1695, the Town Hall was badly damaged. Restoration started immediately. Unfortunately, over time the original decorative statues crumbled away or simply disappeared. By 1840, a complete restoration was necessary and it was then that the entire façade was decorated with statues. Today, it is home to a total of 203 little statues representing the Dukes and Duchesses of Brabant who ruled the dukedom between 580 and 1564.

The rebuilt Town Hall

Directly opposite the Town Hall is the King's House, now home to the City Museum. As beautiful as it is, the building is actually a 19th century reproduction of the 16th century original, which was destroyed in the bombardment of the city in the late 17th century.

The magnificent King's House

Close-up of the tower

In the four years following the destruction of Grand-Place, the square was rebuilt by the city's guilds. The Governor of Brussels and the city councillors ensured that the plans were submitted to the authorities for approval. This led to a relatively harmonious layout, despite the combination of Gothic, Baroque and Louis XIV styles.

Then, in the late 18th century, the poor Grand-Place was sacked once again. The guildhalls were seized by the state and sold. However, many were neglected and they soon fell into a state of disrepair. A century later, the Grand-Place was returned to its former glory by mayor Charles Buls, who had the buildings restored or reconstructed.

The guildhalls to the right of the Town Hall



...and to the left

Opposite them, to the right of the King's House, are more gilded guildhalls

In 1226, Henry II, Duke of Brabant (1207-1248), ordered the building of a Gothic church on Treurenberg hill. Construction started that same year, but Henry never saw the final work as it took almost 300 years for the church to be completed!

The huge cathedral

The first wall was built around the town in the 12th century. Around 4 km (approx. 2.5 miles) long, it had fifty towers and seven doors. However, as the population grew, the wall struggled to contain it and, in the latter part of the 14th century, a second wall was built. The Halle Gate (Porte de Hal in French and Hallepoort in Dutch) dates from this time.

The 14th century Halle Gate

One of the city's better-known sights in the city is that of Manneken Pis (Little Man Pee), a small bronze sculpture of a (normally naked) boy peeing. At just 61 cm high, the statue is a modern-day replica of the 1619 original, which is now housed in the City Museum. For some unknown reason the statue has become a HUGE tourist attraction. And for some even more inexplicable reason, the City has seen fit to dress the statue up. It now boasts a collection of several hundred (!) outfits, which when not being worn can be seen in the aforementioned City Museum. I came across this sight quite by chance, alerted to its presence by the huge crowds spilling into the road. Unimpressed, I took one photo and left.

How is THIS a tourist attraction?!

Back on the genuine tourist trail, I hunted down the Notre-Dame du Sablon. A flamboyant late-Gothic church, it was built in the 15th and 16th centuries on the site of a 14th century chapel. I wasn't able to find out much more about it, suffice to say that it was well worth a visit.

Now that's what I call an attraction!

The magnificent entrance to the church

Statues by the door

Beautiful stained glass windows

As I left Grand-Place and walked towards Grasmarkt, something caught my eye. Intrigued, I allowed myself to get distracted. I quickly discovered that I was standing outside the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, a 19th century shopping mall.

The brainchild of architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer, it was designed to replace the warren of ill-lit alleyways around the Grasmarkt with an upmarket covered shopping arcade more than 200 metres long. Construction began in 1846, and work was completed some 18 months later. The arcade was opened in June 1847 by King Leopold I of Belgium (r. 1831-1865). It offered then what it does now: a brilliantly-lit space allowing Belgians to experience 'outdoor cafés' in an indoor environment surrounded by luxury retailers.

Early morning in the gorgeous 19th century Royal Galleries

Aesthetically-pleasing lines



Late afternoon light and shade

Brussels has a lot of history, and much of its architecture dates from past centuries. But the Atomium, which replicates an atom magnified 165 billion times, is different. Built for Expo '58, it was only ever intended to be temporary. However, it quickly became a landmark and is now one of Brussels' most popular tourist attractions.

Standing 102 m (335 ft) tall, the structure has nine stainless steel-clad spheres, 18 m (59 ft) in diameter. The spheres are linked by tubes, some of which contain escalators/stairs, which give access to the five habitable spheres. An elevator runs up the centre tube, taking visitors to the top sphere from where you can get a panoramic view of the city.

First look at the Atomium

 

 

Standing underneath it looking up

Trying to capture the full picture



View of Brussels from the top sphere

One of the more unique aspects of tourism in Brussels is the Comic Strip route, which was born in 1993 when the City started painting strips from famous Belgian comics on walls all around Brussels. I purposely sought out one or two and accidentally stumbled across a few more.

One of Belgium's most famous comics – Tintin

Close-up of Tintin, Captain Haddock and Snowy

The Ric Hochet comic wall – not one I'd heard of but it appealed to me

Close-up of the Ric Hochet comic wall – I love how the painting blends perfectly with the real building next to it!

The Asterix comic wall

Whatever you come to Brussels for, it will be hard to avoid the food, particularly the sweet stuff. From all things meringue to colourful macarons to endless chocolate displays, Brussels is heaven for (wannabe) food photographers, not to mention those with a sweet tooth...


Meringue ducks – almost too cute to eat



More macarons than you can shake a stick at



Easter-themed macarons

Slabs of chocolate

Standing to order

For my final evening in the city, I wanted to see what Grand-Place looked like at night. Quite by chance, up a flight of stairs, there happened to be a very nice stone ledge which I was able to use to steady the camera on and thus I got a couple of (almost) in-focus shots.

The Town Hall by night



Close up of the tower

Though my time in Brussels was short, I enjoyed it immensely. It was a very walkable city crammed with amazing architecture and tempting treats. I would definitely go back and, if I find another bargain flight, it might be sooner rather than later...