Must-see attractions in Brussels

The Mont des Arts is the junction between uptown and downtown Brussels and offers a delightful view in all seasons. Below, you can sit in the sumptuous gardens that lead to the statue of Albert I. The “knightly king” faces his love, Queen Elizabeth, whose statue stands on the small Place de l'Albertine on the other side of the road. The Mont des Arts is home to the KBR, the country's main library and manuscript museum, on the one hand, and the Brussels Congress Centre, Square, on the other. Within walking distance you’ll also find major museums and cultural institutions: the Royal Museums of Fine Arts - which houses the Magritte Museum -, the Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM), Bozar, and so on. 

Since the 15th century, the Manneken Pis sculpture has adorned one of the public fountains that supply the city with drinking water. Over time, this wee little man became a kind of mascot, with the people of Brussels seeing him as a symbol of the local temperament, a unique combination of mischievous, irreverent and droll. A much coveted symbol, since the present statue is a copy. The original, which has been stolen several times, is now safely housed in the Brussels City Museum. Nearby, you can discover the vast wardrobe of Manneken Pis at the GardeRobe MannekenPis Museum.

Amidst the stately embassies, Villa Empain stands proudly along the majestic Franklin Roosevelt Avenue. This vast Art Deco mansion was built in the 1930s, and currently houses the Boghossian Foundation, a centre for art and dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures.

The colossal Palace of Justice was inaugurated in 1883. It was designed by the architect Joseph Poelaert, and towers over the working-class district of the Marolles at a location where, for centuries, death sentences were carried out. At the time of its construction, this monument of 40,000 m2 of usable space was the largest building ever built and it’s still one of the largest courthouses in the world today. However, restauration works have tarnished its visual spectacle since the 1980s, to the point that scaffolding had to be erected to ensure the renovation... of the scaffolding already in place!

Legend has it that the idea of building a national basilica in Brussels came to King Leopold II after a visit to the construction site of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris. The construction of the basilica started in 1905, only to be completed in 1970. Some see it as the largest Art Deco church in the world, others as an excessive and ostentatious folly. We’ll let you decide for yourself.

This district is arguably the most authentic part of Brussels. Here, you can often still hear the Brusseleir dialect being spoken. The Marolles have it all, from traditional cafés to trendy bars, family-run establishments to stylish new art galleries. Place du Jeu de Balle is the beating heart of this quarter, where the "Vieux Marché", a gigantic flea market, is held every day.