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Planning a short visit to Brussels? Check out 48 Hours In Brussels, your online guide for short stays and weekend getaways. Ad
The clashing regions of French and Dutch speakers in Belgium meet halfway (geographically and ideologically) at the country’s capital and biggest city, Brussels, a bilingual region of the French and the Dutch that offers the best of both worlds. Apart from being the headquarters and de facto capital of the European Union, Brussels is best-known for its Art Nouveau townhouses, modern high-rises, museums, and world-famous Belgian chocolate.
Medieval to postmodern architecture
From a 10th-century fort founded by a descendant of Charlemagne, Brussels grew to become an important center of international politics since WWII. Such passing of different kingdoms and rulers paved way for the construction of a variety of buildings—from the medieval square and World Heritage-listed Grand Place, to the postmodern Atomium, an atom-shaped Ferris wheel built for one of the world’s biggest fairs, Brussels World Fair.
From Art Nouveau to comics
Brussels is also well-known for its lively artistic scene. Its symbol is the Manneken Pis, a statue of a peeing boy locals dress in different costumes. Architect Victor Horta also peppered the city with Art Nouveau townhouses, while the city’s walls are painted with large motifs of Tintin, Lucky Luke, and other comic characters that build up Belgium’s reputation as the biggest comics producer in the world. The country’s comic book tradition is explained in-depth at Brussels’ Belgian Comics Museum.
Another museum, Magritte Museum, contains the world’s biggest collection of Rene Magritte’s works, which are also celebrated, together with the works of other Flemish masters like Bruegel and Anthony van Dyck, in Brussels’ Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Entertainment for all ages
For the palate, Brussels’ treats include its famous Belgian chocolate, waffles, French fries, and over 800 kinds of beer. There are also plenty of leisure options to choose from: classical concerts, operas, Dutch and French cinemas, and parties, held in different venues like cafés, bars, restaurants, and coliseums like King Baudouin Stadium, the largest of its type in Belgium. The world’s first shopping mall, Galeries Saint Hubert-Sint Hubertusgalerijen, is still as lively as it was opened in 1847. The same can be described of Res des Bouchers, which bustles with shoppers and party animals on a Saturday night.
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