Top 5 Landmarks to Visit while in Brussels

Brussels has so many tourist attractions to see, it can be often overwhelming for the visitors. Being the capital city of Belgium and the European Union as well, it has a wide range of historic sites and places of interest. Same as with many European capitals, Brussels has some specific tourist attractions that should not be missed. Among the grandeur of ancient European buildings that became a symbol of the luxury of this city in the past times, you can spot many tucked modern skyscrapers with an exquisite contemporary architecture. You might even get a feeling that the city is a meeting point between the past and the present. This city has grown much since the 6th century, especially since originally it was a village in the plains of the River Seine. Hence, in order not to miss the main attractions, here are the top five places you should see after you catch your Charleroi airport to Brussels airport transfer.
 

Grand Place

Grand Place is a centrally positioned and wonderful city square surrounded by old buildings towering around the skyline. This square was formerly the main gathering location where the execution of the prisoners took place, and today has turned into an amazing tourist site. Having his central position in mind, it is often used as an open venue for numerous cultural festivals. There are two main buildings in the Grand Place which can be visited: the Brussels Town Hall and King’s House, containing the Museum of the City of Brussels. Grand Place has been established as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so spending some time there is mandatory.
 

Brussels Town Hall

Once you arrive at the Grand Place area, you will be greeted by the old Town Hall tower done in amazingly detailed Gothic style, dating back to the Middle Ages. The building was built in the 1400's by the architect Jan Van Ruysbrueck. It is really an original masterpiece! On the very top of the tower there is a statue of St. Michael, depicted in a scene of fighting demons. This is one of the most attractive buildings in Brussels, decorated with arched windows, accompanied by towers and adorned by sculptures.
 

Manneken Pis Statue

This statue, as the name implies, depicts a little boy in the position of relieving himself. The name translates as "Little man Pee" in Dutch, was designed by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1618. There are many legends about this statue coming to existence. As one of them goes, in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by a foreign power. The city had held its ground for some time, so the attackers conceived of a plan to place explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy named Julianske happened to be spying on them, as they were preparing. He urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city. This small statue has so many costumes, which are being used at specific times, such as the Santa Claus costume for Christmas. On special occasions, brass-bands would play here and Manneken Pis would be hooked up to different flavors of Belgian beer, which is poured from his fountain tip and given out to the public.
 

Heysel Park and the Atomium

Heysel Park is located in the west part of Brussels, and is dedicated to the visitors’ recreation and leisure. Sadly, in 1985 the European Champions Cup tragedy took place in the Heysel stadium where several spectators lost their lives. Since then it has been redesigned and renamed as Stade Roi Baudouin (or King Baudouin Stadium).

Atomium is one of the highlights of the park. This is a glorious 102 meter (or 335 ft) high model of an atom, made entirely of chrome and steel, designed by André Waterkeyn. It was erected in 1958 for the Brussels World’s Fair as a symbol of the new 'atomic age'. It is actually an accurate depiction of an iron molecule that has been magnified 165 billion times. It is composed of nine steel spheres with an 18 meter diameter, where tubes of 3 m (or 10 ft) diameter connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the center. They enclose stairs, escalators and a lift (in the central, vertical tube) to allow access to the five habitable spheres, which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere includes a restaurant which offers a panoramic view of Brussels.
 

Mini-Europe

Mini-Europe is a unique miniature park situated in Bruparck at the very foot of the Atomium in Brussels. Here, you can see around 80 cities and 350 buildings represented in their miniature form. The park contains so many live action models, such as a train, mills, eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Airbus, cable cars, etc., and an experienced tour guide is there to talk about the details of all the monuments. At the end of the tour, the “Spirit of Europe” exhibition is there to give an interactive overview of the European Union in the form of multimedia games. It is truly an interesting experience for any visitor.

The city of Brussels is really unforgettable and known for its unique landmarks and impressive parks. There is so much history, culture and knowledge to take away with you once your visit ends. Being positioned in the very center of Europe, you can easily reach the city by many transportation options, among which catching a flight is most preferred. And once landed, catching a Brussels airport taxi service is very easy and safe. All you need to do is to relax and plan the details of your agenda.