Lovely place. Crapy service from the restaurants around that place but they can get away with it because of the location. The tourists will always be there anyway.
Splendidly refurbished the cathedral stands proudly on the slope. Outside it is adorned with typical Brabantian embellishments - with curlicues on the doors, windows and merlons. Inside, one can see numerous Renaissance and Baroque elements. Most of the stained glass windows survived the wars. About the door, there is a "Last Judgment" by Frans De Vriendt. The tombs of Emperor Karl V and his spouse Isabella of Portugal are on the north side of the transept, while those of the emperor's sister Maria and her husband King Louis II of Hungary are on the south side. In the side chapel on the north side, where the governors Albrecht and Isabella of Habsburg and Prince Karl-Alexander of Lorraine lie beneath a simple stone tablet, one can also see the glistening church treasure. Behind the choir, the Renaissance altar made of alabaster deserves more than just a fleeting glance, as does the pulpit. The Baroque representation of Adam and Eve being driven out of Paradise, and the legend of the vine are highlights of Brussels wood carving. Beneath the nave there are the remains of a much older Romanesque church, while the graves of the Dukes of Brabant are beneath the choir. One should not only see but also hear the monumental swallow's nest organ, built by Gerhard Grenzing. The majestic bells and the sweet notes of the carillon can be heard on a regular basis. The magnificently restored cathedral reflects Europe's history. The monumental swallow's nest organ built by Gerhard Grenzing is an attraction worth both seeing and hearing.
Definitely worth the visit.
The landmark created for the 1958 World Fair has been completely refurbished. Even when it's drizzling, the spheres - which represent an ice crystal magnified 165 billion times - still sparkle, thanks to the stainless steel cladding. After darkness has fallen, it presents an exciting play of light. The lighting design for the spheres and tubes is the work of the German expert, Ingo Maurer. In the spheres there are temporary exhibitions about the 1950s and contemporary art, while in the uppermost sphere there is a restaurant serving Belgian specialities - with breathtaking panoramic views and very fancy prices. The sight offers an excellent view. A marvel of Belgian engineering and Brussels's emblem.
Karl Marx moaned about the "ugly face of capitalism" during the building work. However, a working-class district had to give way to a consumer shrine - the magnificent, neoclassical shopping arcade with an elaborate glass roof.
The painter of hidden desires, comical fantasies and mysterious landscapes - he worked during the best years (1930-54) in the living room of a modest flat in a petty bourgeois district. It has been furnished and restored true to its original form.
There are many legends surrounding the little chap who is peeing so nonchalantly. In any event this masterful Baroque bronze perfectly expresses the locals' proverbial insubordination and love of mockery, which also explains why Manneken Pis has been kidnapped several times. His admirers on the other hand, give him costumes, the most beautiful of which are on display on the first floor of the Maison du Roi. The little boy - a favourite with the tourists - is a perfect example of typical Brussels wit.
The Museum of Natural Science has special rooms for children with small huts, interactive games, and a dinosaur section. The changing exhibitions are adapted to suit children and teenagers too, and are also available in various languages.
Breweries once dominated the Brussels cityscape. Today only one small family business survives. It came up with the excellent idea of chronicling the art of gueuze production - in late autumn and winter indeed with glimpses of it being produced.
The richly decorated late-Gothic church is effectively sited between the small and large Sablon. Every evening, when the church is lit up inside, the large stained-glass windows bestow festive light on the pews.
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