Brussels City Tour Part 1

Brussels is a magnificent city that contains an abundance of history and culture. Whether it’s a walk back through time or a modern exhibition that one wishes to experience, Brussels has a bit of everything to offer to the budding traveller. One of the most amazing parts of this great city is its central square. This is referred to as the Grand Place and is one of the hottest tourist destinations of the area. In fact, to miss this on any travellers trip is a huge blunder as it holds some of the most significant landmarks and heritage sites in Europe. UNESCO had also declared the area as recognised heritage site since 1998.

The Grand Place gained significant importance around the 14th century where trade gained prominence in the area and began to equal status similar to nobility. The area carries a deep line of history and had actually been set alight in 1695. A sea of flames resulted in the destruction of the area but was later rebuilt. Conflict saw repeated damages throughout the years but Brussels’ Grand Place stands tall today, boasting some jaw dropping architecture and attractions throughout.

The Town hall is an important part of the centre here. Dutch and French is spoken here and the Town Hall is referred to as the Stadhuis or Hôtel de Ville. This is the oldest building that stands almost a hundred meters vertically and dates back all the way into medieval periods. The statue features is actually of great meaning and shows Saint Michael slaying a Demon. The brilliant colours used here contrast beautifully. I really loved the structure of this building with the tower dividing a symmetrical design.

A great golden stature and trimmings on this aged building. Many of these structures had been demolished and rebuilt over time. This is referred to as Maison des Brasseurs. There are actually quite a few names this can be called depending on what language one chooses. After the bombardment of French troops this establishment was rebuilt just before the 1700s. The golden stature is of Charles-Alexander of Lorraine. He was a soldier of the Imperial army and served as a general and field marshal.

The architecture is grand to say the least and is built in stone with various facades that are made of layers. Detailed columns make up the front facing exterior and paints a grand looking composition.