Both of the modern sculptures above and left are located on Rue de la Loi, Law Street, in front of the Justus Lipsius building, where the European Council meets at least twice every 6 months according to the European Council website. The European Council is only one of several important European institutions which has led to Brussels being called the de facto capital of Europe. Yesterday, I posted a picture of the monolith (left) that has the quote, May all peoples thrive and prosper, listed in 23 languages. Donated in 2008 by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia as a lasting symbol of Slovenia's European Union (EU) Council Presidency that year, the 23 languages were those spoken by EU member states. Slovene is listed first, followed by the other languages in an order designed to follow the flow of the stone's vein. Today, one would need to add Croatian, since Croatia joined the EU in 2013. |
The official capital of Belgium, and considered the capital of Europe since it is home to many important European institutions, Brussels is definitely a city you want to include in your travels to Europe. From the medieval to the modern, there were signs of majesty all around this city. Directly across the street from the Justus Lipsius building is the Berlaymont Building (below), which houses the headquarters of the European Commission. Dow Corning states that this Symbol of Europe, has an "outer 'living' facade composed of 21,000 sq. meters of mobile glass louvers moved according to the position of the sun, temperature, and wind speed". Wow! I'd love to see them in action! The blue sign on the side was welcoming Lithuania to the euro zone--those countries of the EU currently using the euro as their currency. Near the Berlaymont is the Parc du Cinquantenaire, created by King Leopold II in 1880 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee (50 years) celebration of Belgian independence. Completed in 1905, the Arch (above) is three arches, and a powerful sign of victory. It features a statue of the Brabant raising the national flag. The Rijksmuseum website has a succinct description of the Belgian Revolution here. The towering arches are a focal point at the end of the park. We visited in January; I would love to re-visit in the spring, when flowers and trees are blooming. Street signs in Brussels, like the one below, are in both French and Dutch. Place Royale is the Royal or King's Square. This statue of Godfrey of Bouillon (below), leader of the First Crusade in 1096, is located in the center of the Place Royale, and is a reminder of this period of history. Just today, I read a nice post by fellow bloggers, Savored Journeys, about 10 Unconventional Things to Do in Washington DC; one of them was to see the national monuments at night. They remarked how it is quite touristy to visit monuments, but seeing them at night, all lit up, makes the experience more amazing. I totally agree! So many times I have visited places during the day, and retreat back to the hotel after dinner. But lately, in Europe, I've been trying to fend off sleep, and force myself to wander at night, and see buildings in a new light! (Of course, it helps when you're traveling during the winter months, and sunset is before 5 p.m.!) The two photos below are of the 315 ft.-tall spire of the Hotel de Ville, the Town Hall, built in the early 15th century in the Grand Place. Another stunning sign of a piece of history in Brussels. Probably the two most photographed structures in Brussels are the Manneken-Pis Fountain (left) and the Atomium (right). A sign of his importance, the small, less than 2 ft. tall, 'pissing boy' has over 800 different outfits, many of them donated by heads of state when visiting Brussels. (Unfortunately he was naked when we visited--no festival or holiday to mark!) The impressive, 335 ft. tall Atomium, built for the 1958 World Fair, was not intended to be a permanent fixture, but its popularity makes it Brussels' most famous landmark. Looking out from inside the Atomium, you can see Bruparck, a large amusement park, which includes Mini Europe, where miniatures of famous attractions of the EU countries are located. Peer closely at the bottom left of the photo; you can see the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe! I hope you've enjoyed this welcome to Brussels, capital of capitals, and that these signs of its political and historical importance have enticed you to visit (if you haven't already)! If you liked this post, please share it on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!
35 Comments
4/17/2015 04:03:57 am
I've always enjoyed seeing the monuments in DC at night, but lots of other cities are beautiful lit up at night - Paris, Madrid, and definiitely Brussels!
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4/17/2015 09:01:24 pm
You talk of Brussels and you don't mention chocolate? Hehehe. You know, I did not really enjoy the city when I went there, but even though I am not a chocolate lover, I surely enjoyed the chocolates
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Vanessa
4/17/2015 10:18:34 pm
I love Brussels and it has a fantastic foodie scene as well. We found tons of fantastic Italian food there, no doubt thanks to the pan-European influence of all the visiting diplomat - and of course all the chocolate is out of this world!
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Olga
4/17/2015 10:35:06 pm
I love Brussels! Brussels, London, Berlin, and St. Petersburg are the only cities I have ever revisited, and so far Brussel's been my favourite :)
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Carol Colborn
4/18/2015 12:02:29 am
Love the way you present your photos interlaced within the text! Will go to Brussels...definitely!
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4/18/2015 01:46:52 am
I have been to Brussels on my first European tour and I loved it. You guys got some love photos.
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4/18/2015 08:44:56 am
Love London by night. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where I live now, is probaly more striking by daylight. But look forward to exploring Brussels, a city I've yet to visit, by day and night.
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I totally agree about the monuments at night in D.C. I had the opportunity to wander around and see them once and they are so much prettier than during the day. It's hard to see things lit up over here in the summer with sunset being so late, but easier in the winter. That one you took in Brussels looks cool. I was there on a day trip this fall and had to leave before it got dark. One of my favorite things about Brussels was walking around and seeing all of the comic murals on the buildings.
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AuthorMrs. T.--lifelong learner, traveler, teacher, voracious reader, and food, wine and chocolate lover! Archives
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