Grand-Place
Often considered the most beautiful square in the world, the Grand-Place of Brussels' reputation precedes it!
Today, it still has a political and administrative function as it houses the City of Brussels Town Hall, which remains the workplace of the mayor and most of their aldermen.
As a prestigious venue, it hosts many festive events - concerts, fairs, folklore events, the Christmas tree and nativity scene, sound and light shows, the flower carpet in the summer, etc. - or symbolic events, such as the celebration of sportsmen and women after fine performances.
Its story began as a market square in the 12th century. Gradually, the square was filled with houses and halls, then primarily made of wood. The splendid Gothic town hall was built in the 15th century in three phases; the same 15th century saw the installation of trade guilds in the houses that border the Grand-Place. Even more so than at present, the square was the nerve centre of Brussels life: economically, as already mentioned, with intense sales activity (several halls devoted to the sale of bread - the present King's House or Broodhuis in Dutch -, meat, linen, etc.), culturally (theatrical performances), judicially (with executions taking place on the square) and, of course, local politics.
It was bombarded by Louis XIV's troops in 1695 and was subsequently almost entirely rebuilt. It underwent further major renovations and modifications during the following centuries, especially in the 19th century, which gave it its current appearance.
The Grand-Place of Brussels has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Grand-Place
Museum of the City of Brussels
Two majestic buildings that stand opposite each other on Brussels' Grand Place have a long-standing rivalry: on one side you have Brussels' City Hall, and on the other the Broodhuis (Bread House), a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the Brussels City Museum. The rivalry between these two buildings is no coincidence. In the 15th century, the Duke of Brabant replaced the 13th century wooden bread market building with a prestigious building that would be a symbol of his power and face off against the imposing building on the other side of the Grand Place that symbolised the city's independence. The building owes its French name of Maison du Roi (King's House) to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who once ruled over a large part of the globe and once owned the Bread House. After being destroyed in the 16th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century by city architect Victor Jamaer.
But it's not all about the Broodhuis' history and facade. Inside the Brussels City Museum gives a comprehensive overview of Brussels' history, with particular attention given to the arts, crafts,urbanism and architecture . The original Manneken Pis is also housed here for security reasons, but as for his wardrobe, which is a thousand times larger than even the most passionate fashionista's, you can marvel at that in its dedicated museum on Rue du Chêne - Eikstraat.
Combined ticket giving access to the Brussels City Museum -Maison du Roi and the Garderobe MannekenPis.
Museum of the City of Brussels
GardeRobe MannekenPis
The incredible Manneken-Pis dressing room awaits you at 19 Rue du Chêne, a stone's throw away from the famous fountain.
A representative selection of more than one hundred costumes is presented according to seven themes: geography, folklore, charity and citizens’ associations, trades, celebrities and characters, sports and designers. They show the richness of this fabulous and uncommon collection, which today includes nearly 1,000 items! The sculpture’s clothing – which is a tradition dating back to the 17th century! – is still part of the folklore and historical heritage of the city of Brussels.
Combined ticket giving access to the Brussels City Museum -Maison du Roi and the Garderobe MannekenPis.
GardeRobe MannekenPis
Espace Vanderborght
Owned by the City of Brussels, this building with a large shop window stands in the centre of Brussels, only a stone’s throw from the Grand Place. It occupies an impressive 6,000 m² of space spread over 5 stories.
Built for the “Nouveaux Établissements Vanderborght Frères”, who traded in household products like carpets, knick-knacks, garden furniture, bedding, etc., the building was designed by architects Govaerts and Van Vaerenbergh, who were used to working together, having previously collaborated on the house of Alice and David van Buren, now the van Buren Museum. The building works, which began in 1932, were completed in 1935. Built in a modernist style, the building did away with ornamental elements, favouring function over appearance.
With remarkable large shop front windows that allow for greater visibility, each story is made up of one large concrete floorplan that can be easily modified thanks to a system of sliding partition walls on tracks. Other stand-out features of this building are its terraces, which served as exhibition spaces for the company’s garden furniture back in the day, but also spots to relax and enjoy a cup of tea. The store went bankrupt in 1980.
The Royal Fine Arts Museums of Belgium once thought of moving their collections into the Vanderborght building, but the project never took off.
The venue today welcomes many exhibitions, mainly centred around contemporary art. Three major events are organised every year:
- Carte de Visite ARTopenKUNST in February: an exhibition dedicated to amateur and professional artists living or working in the City of Brussels. More than 200 artists take over the building for a whole weekend. http://cartedevisite.brussels/
- The Independent in April: a contemporary art fair from New Year has set up shop in Brussels. http://independenthq.com/
- Strokar in May: an exhibition dedicated to street art and photography that gathers artists from Brussels and further afield. http://strokar.be/
Furthermore, other, non-recurrent exhibitions also take place in the Vanderborght building and are open to all at a reasonable price.
Espace Vanderborght
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
Initiated by the architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer, the spectacular Galeries Royales project took shape in the 1830's. The works, begun in 1846, were almost completed in time for the official opening on 20 June 1847.
The gallery included shops, auditoriums, cafés, restaurants and apartments. The place to be seen for the fashionable, right away, the Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert drew a wide audience, attracted by its luxury brands, elegant cafés and cultural spaces. These included the Théâtre du Vaudeville, the Cinéma des Galeries and the Taverne du Passage, called the Café des Arts until 1892 and the meeting place for painters and writers of the time. The colony of French refugees, like Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Edgar Quinet and others, would also gather there. The Surrealist painters and artists from the Cobra group were regulars at the venue.
A commemorative plaque recalls the first showing of the Lumière brothers’ motion picture camera on 1 March 1896, in the former dispatch room of the La Chronique daily newspaper (above Pâtisserie Meert, Galerie du Roi).
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
BE-HERE
BE-HERE is a sustainable village where many initiatives are taken in terms of sustainable food, circular economy, social economy or cultural and welfare projects.
This energetic, convivial place is open to everyone, especially if you like to shop sustainably and locally, have lunch in the beautiful main hall, meet with friends in the brasserie, taste artisanal products, or have your bicycle repaired.
Numerous workshops, activities and events are also organised in this historic and beautifully renovated place.
BE-HERE
CENTRALE for contemporary art
Nestled in a former power station in the heart of Brussels, CENTRALE for contemporary art is the contemporary art centre of the City of Brussels.
It develops a committed vision of art, beyond boundaries, and connected to the city and to society.
Each year it collaborates with confirmed and emerging artists from Brussels and the international scene to produce exhibitions and multidisciplinary projects housed in its various premises.
CENTRALE for contemporary art
MIMA the Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art
The MIMA is situated on the remarkable site of the former brewery Belle-Vue beside the canal in the center of Brussels. The MIMA is a new museum with an international vocation that advances contemporary, accessible and viral creations such as Street Art. The MIMA presents temporary exhibitions, encounters, projections, concerts, performances as well as a permanent collection. It also houses an art shop, a restaurant and two magnificent panoramic viewing points over the canal and Brussels in a magnificent building covering four different floors.
MIMA the Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art
Pixel Museum Brussels
Pixel Museum is the museum of video games, connected entertainment and video game art in Brussels!
Discover the history of video games, play and replay the classics of the last forty years, and try out the latest novelties and independent games! Discovery workshops on video game creation and events are regularly organised.
Playing is learning how to cooperate, how to lose and how to be tenacious!
Pixel Museum Brussels
Café Walvis
Café Walvis
Café Roskam
From cocktails to authentic Belgian beers: you’ll find it all in this cosy and unpretentious pub in the Sainte-Catherine area. And a typical Belgian pub too: very loud and lively! They have a excellent programmation of free jazz concerts, usually on Sundayevenings, so take a look at their website for the upcoming events.
Café Roskam
Monk
A quintessential Belgian café with a quintessential Belgian atmosphere and live piano music (if you’re lucky)! Coloured floor tiles, wooden benches and walls covered in mirrors complete this authentic picture.
This is a place to have a pint with real Brussels natives, hipsters and tourists who are only pretending to be lost. There are a whole host of Belgian beers on tap and in bottles. They are delicious with local delicacies such as a pistolet (bread roll), sausage or a piece of strongly flavoured cheese. If you have a real appetite, go for one of the four spaghetti dishes on the menu: bolognaise, ham & cheese, veggie or the special. Adjust the seasoning yourself with one of the three cheeses on offer (Orval, Emmental or Parmesan) and one of the three toppings (hot, mild or sweet).
Monk
BOA Karaoké Room
Karaoke fans, this one’s for you! Brussels’ first true karaoke bar has just opened. It’s ideal for team-building activity!
Discover a bright, trendy venue with an original decoration. Several fully sound-insulated rooms are at your disposal:
- The Ananas (Pineapple) room: 6 to 8 people
- The Birds room: 8 to 10 people
- The Perroquet (Parrot) room: 8 to 10 people
- The Jungle room: 6 to 8 people
- The Gatsby room: 10 to 12 people
- The Disco Room: 16 to 25 people
As for playlists, BOA offers a catalogue of 33,000 tracks, ranging from classics to the hits of the 2000s, including great Disney classics and famous film soundtracks.
An added bonus: you don't even need to queue at bar: each cabin has its own tablet for you to order drinks on.
Team-building
BOA can create a tailor-made event for you and your colleagues with tapas to share, catering, a buffet, etc. There's no end of options possible, whatever your budget or desires.
IN PRACTICE
- You rent the room for 2 hours, with prices starting at €60,
- BOA is open from Monday to Thursday, from 18:00 to 00:30,
- On Fridays Boa stays open until 02:30 in the morning and on Saturdays its open from 13:00 to 02:30,
- Book online on the BOA Karaoke Room website.
BOA Karaoké Room
Café Bonnefooi
Right next door to Ancienne Belgique you will find café Bonnefooi which roughly translates to a toast to “good luck” in the old Brussels dialect. It’s a young and cosy place with friendly staff, a balcony, and impressive entertainment: DJs, live bands, exhibitions, etc. It’s a great place to go after a concert in Ancienne Belgique.
Live jazz concerts every Sunday night.
Café Bonnefooi
L'Archiduc
The Archiduc opened back in 1937. Stan Brenders changed it into a Jazz Club in 1953. For Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Jacques Brel, and many others, it felt like home. Today it is still a Brussels monument where Belgian and foreign musicians, as well as famous artists and future stars, meet. Open every day from 4 p.m. – 5 a.m. Live jazz performances on weekends and occasional weekdays.
L'Archiduc
Café Central
A must-visit place for many years in Brussels. This place focuses clearly on their musical programme, especially raw, alternative and experimental music. Concerts and DJ sets, on a daily basis. Dancing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11 p.m. There are also film showings on Sundays, ranging from cult classics to contemporary indie films.
Café Central
Fuse
It's one of the city's techno temples, and the biggest names in the field (without exception) play DJ sets there: le Fuse is a must for any decent, self-respecting clubber. The unique atmosphere attracts those in the know, and they come from far and wide. The end-of-the-night crescendos, as things approach hysteria, are legendary. The gay evenings on Sundays are as good as they are famous. Supervised cheap car park available.
Fuse
C12
C12 is a new multidisciplinary platform run by the Deep in House collective. Located at the heart of Brussels, C12 is tucked in the depths of the Horta Gallery next to the Grand Place and the Central Station. C12 is a safe place where freedom, diversity, creativity and alternative culture are protected from the restrictive and normative outside world. It is a safe place where the passion for art & music in all its forms unites all identities. The project will include concerts, art installations, lives, club nights and last but by no means least, a local market.
C12
