Attractions in Brussels
The Art and History Museum:
Jubelpark / parc du cinquantenaire, 10
1040 Brussels
Metro station: schumann or merode
From 9.30 - 5 pm (closed on Mondays)
From 10 -5 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
Admission charged
This Museum has an important collection of art objects from civilizations all over the world. It offers an overview of the history of human settlement in the five continents from prehistoric times until today. The Museum was founded in 1835 and was located in the Hallepoort/Porte de Hal, one of the last remaining medieval city gates of Brussels. In 1889 it was transferred to the newly built pavilions in the Cinquantenaire Park.. The Museum is part of the Royal Museums of Art and History.
Autoworld Museum:
Jubelpark / Parc du Cinquantenaire, 11
02-736-4165
Metro station: Schumann or Merode
10- 5 (closed on Mondays) (November -March)
10 - 6 (closed on Mondays) (April - October)
Admission charged
The more than 400 cars in this museum comprise one of the world's top collections of vintage and classic cars. On display also is the history of the automobile from 1886 up to the 1970's. There is, first of all, an exhibit of Belgian automobiles. Belgian car manufacturers no longer exist, but names such as Minerva, FN, Imperia, Nagant, Germain and Vivinus are names that are familiar to those who are lovers of the automobile. These cars came out of Belgian factories in the pre-world war II era. There are also cars from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. There are also special models which belonged to the Belgian royal family and to US presidents Franklin Roosevelt and J.F.Kennedy.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart:
Blvd. Leopold II near the Bruparck.
8-5 daily
Metro: Simonis; then bus 87.
For a fee, climb up into the dome for a spectacular view of the city.
When standing on one of the hills surrounding the center of Brussels, one can always see the dome of the Basilica to the west. The Basilica was built to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence. In 1905 king Leopold II laid the first stone. According to the plans of architect Langerock it was to become a gigantic neo-Gothic church. The initial plans were stopped at the beginning of World War I. By the time construction resumed, a new architect, named Van Nuffel, was asked to construct a modern house of prayer. He changed the style from neo-Gothic to art deco. The result seems discordant to many. Construction of the church depended entirely on donations made by believers and these donations did not always yield the expected funds. The church was eventually finished in the late 1960's with the construction of a dome and dedicated to the War Victories of 1918 and 1944.
The Belgian Center for Comic Strip Art:
Center Belge De La Bande Dessinée
Rue des Sables 20
tel. 02/219-1980.
Admission charged.
Tues.-Sunday 10-6.
Metro: Rogier/Botaniqu
Trams 90 92 and 93; bus 38.
An art nouveau building houses the world's first Comic Strip Museum which exhibits over 400 original Tintin plates created by Hergé, as well as 25, 000 other cartoon works. The Waucquez warehouses are considered to be one of the masterpieces of the famous Belgian art nouveau architect, Victor Horta. Horta built the house in 1906 for the Waucquez family who used it for a wholesale cloth business. The building illustrates the principles of Horta's architectural style: sunlight filters from the glass ceiling into the central hall, lighting the rest of the warehouse in a natural way. One of the most popular new art forms for Belgium is the comic strip. Since World War II, most Belgians have grown up with Belgian comic strips. Herge stands out as the most important writer He is the father of the best known Belgian comic strip: Tintin. Tintin has been delighting children since 1929, when he began his adventures as a boy reporter traveling the world and setting wrongs to right. Tintin's adventures became one of the greatest early examples of the European strip cartoon. Willy Vandersteen is the best known name of the Flemish school. His most important creation is Suske and Wiske (in English known as Willy and Wanda). Since the 1950's, however, the entire comic strips scene has boomed in Belgium. This museum illustrates this "9th Art" in Belgium, with sets of enlarged drawings, three-dimensional recreations, etc. One can also learn everything about the birth and the development of a comic strip series. The Museum also has a shop with albums and memorabilia of the different Belgian comic strip heroes.
Cathédrale Saint-Michel et Sainte-Gudule (Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudule):
Parvis Ste-Gudule
tel. 02/217-8345
Nov.-March, daily 7-6; April-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 7-7 Sunday 8-7.
The city's principal church is a 13th-century edifice with twin Gothic towers and outstanding stained-glass windows. This church can be found at the Treurenberg hill on the edge between lower and upper town. Already at the beginning of the 11th century a church was situated here. In 1047 the duke of Brabant, Lambert II, had the relics of Saint Gudula transferred from the Saint Gorik church in downtown Brussels to the new church at Treurenberg hill. From that moment on the Saint Gudula and Saint Michael church took the lead over all the other churches in Brussels. Lambert II also gave the church a chapter of 12 canons (= priests who took care of the services and possessions of the church).
Because of its growing importance, the first St. Gudula church originally built in romanesque style was transformed in Gothic style as from the 13th century. The foundations of the first church can still be seen under the crypt of the Gothic cathedral. The Gothic choir was constructed between 1226 and 1276 nave and transept in the middle of the 15th century. The western facade, completed between 1450 and 1490 follows the example of the French Gothic facades. Via a large staircase (built in 1861 the three gates of the entrance can be reached. Inside, 12 pillars clearly determine the interior of the cathedral, whereas the triforia and glass-stained windows accentuate the later Gothic style which allowed more light to fall in to the church. The choir is darker because of the smaller window openings. In the northern chapel on the left side of the choir, one can see the portraits of several kings and emperors who bestowed the richly decorated glass-stained windows: Joao III of portugal, Louis of Hungary, François I of France and Ferdinand I. In the choir the windows of the following rulers can be seen: Maximilian of Austria, Philip the Beautiful, Charles V, Philip II of Spain, Philibert of Savoy with his wife Margaret of Austria. All through the 20th century the cathedral was almost continuously renovated. The renovation was completed in December 1999 when the marriage of the Belgian crown prince Philippe with his bride Princess Mathilda took place there, on the 4th of December.
The Chinese Pavilion and The Japanese Tower:
Avenue van Praet/ van Praetlaan 44
02-268-1608
Tues-Sun. 10-5 Closed Monday
Admission charged.
The two monuments are located on the northern corner of the Royal Park .After his visit to the 1900 universal exhibition in Paris king Leopold II decided to have his park embellished with exotic monuments. He ordered the Parisian architect Alexandre Marcel to construct the Japanese tower and the Chinese pavilion. The entrance to the Japanese tower was built as a replica of the Japanese Pavilion at the Paris exhibitionthat had been constructed by a Japanese carpenter. The woodwork of both buildings was constructed by specialists from Yokohama and Shanghai.
The Heysel Exhibition Park (Bruparck):
A theme park in Brussels' northern suburbs.
Metro 1A (Heizel/Heyzel)
In the 1930's Belgium wanted to organize a world exhibition to show its prosperity after the disasters of World War I and also to celebrate the centenary of its independence. The exhibition surface in the Central Cinquantenaire Park had become too small. Therefore, it was decided that the Expo of 1935 was to take place north of the center of Brussels, in the Heizel/Heysel plains. This major event took 10 years to organize. The results were impressive. More than 20 million visitors came to Brussels, 182 buildings were constructed, 25 countries participated. More than 300 congresses, parades, festivals and concerts were organized. Each country was represented in a National pavilion where national products and accomplishments were shown to the rest of the world. Belgium also built a colonial pavilion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Congo freestate. A giant attraction park and a reconstruction of "old Brussels" drew large crowds to the Heysel. The result of restoration and additions to the site is Bruparck.
Kinepolis
Bruparck
02-474-2600
Daily shows: 258,10:30pm
Admission charged.
Said to be the world's largest cinema complex, Kinepolis has 24 wide screen theaters and an IMAX screen seven stories high. All have a THX sound system. Films are shown in their original language (usually English) with Dutch and French subtitles.
Mini-Europe
Bruparck
02-478-0550
March 25-June 30 and Sept. 1-November 1: 9:30-6 daily.
July 21-August 20 9:30-midmight daily.
July 1-August 31: 9:30-8 daily.
November 7-January 7 10-6 daily.
Admission charged.
A miniature world displaying models of major events in the history of Europe. Some are hands-on such as the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Visitors can make it happen. There are even scaled down replicas of the Channel Tunnel and the Ariane rocket.
Oceade/Oceadium
Bruparck
02-478-4320
April-June Tues-Thurs. 10- 6 Friday-Sunday 10-10
July and August: daily 10-10
Sept.-March Wed-Fri. 10-6 Sat., Sun. 10-10
Admission charged.
An indoor and outdoor aquatic paradise with giant flumes, wave machine, plastic beaches and palm trees. While in the area, the visitor pretends to be on a two hour Carribean holiday. Even in winter; swimming in a heated pool is offered while snow falls outside the fantasy world. Children seem to love it at any time of the year Adults can also relax in the sauna complex.