Exploring Brussels, Belgium
Time needed in this city: 3-4 nights
Note: This post has been updated on January 23, 2024.
Brussels is one of those cities where history meets history in the making. It’s where the biggest governmental powers in the world make some of the biggest decisions… even when Oktoberfest is going on across the platz!
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included a summary of the history of this beautiful city!
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Where to Stay
Where to Dine & Drink
Barge
A Michelin-starred and green Michelin-starred restaurant offering creative seasonal cuisine, plus wine.
Comme Chez Soi
A Michelin-starred restaurant, set in an art nouveau dining room, serving French cuisine by Lionel Rigolet (a chef's table is available).
Fin de Siècle
Serves vegetarian dishes.,
Jardin des Olives
French fare with an extensive wine list.
La bonne chère
Serves experimental French fare in both a la carte and tasting menus. Note that they do not accommodate allergies very well.
La Marée
Serves seafood dishes.
La Table de Mus
Serves modern European fare.
La Villa in the Sky
A Michelin-starred restaurant, serving artisianl tasting menus.
Le Bistro - Porte de Hal
Warm-industrial, bi-level bistro serving traditional Belgian plates & beers alongside a small patio.
Le Wine Bar des Marolles
Serves French/Spanish dishes with an extensive wine list.
Maison Dandoy
The premiere waffle maker, since 1829, they also sell a variety of treats and tea in both their cafes and stores. (Note, they do have gluten-free cookies available!)
Plumette
A speakeasy.
Restaurant Umā
Serves vegetarian dishes.
The Lobster House
Heaping traditional seafood dishes are served at this old-fashioned restaurant, which has a terrace.
Villa Lorraine
A two-Michelin-starred restaurant in an elegant fine-dining setting, in a 19th-century villa.
WITTAMER CAFE
According to sources, this is the "creme de la creme" of places to take a leisurely coffee break. It's known for its decadent desserts and pastries, as well as amazing cappuccinos and hot chocolates! Sitting outdoors affords you the opportunity to run into Belgian celebrities and sports figures.
Yummy Bowl
Cozy nook for Korean-inspired vegan & vegetarian fare, like salad bowls, ramen, soups & desserts.
Things to See & Do
Art Experiences
Comic Book Route
Since the early 90s, Brussels has been paying tribute to characters and authors of the Franco-Belgian comics on the walls in the Pentagon (city centre) and Laeken. There are over 60 murals hidden throughout the city to discover. Check out the comic book map here.
Comic Strip Center
Housed in one of the oldest districts of Brussels, just a few steps away from Grand’Place and the Royal district, the Belgian Comic Strip Center opened its doors to the public on October 6, 1989.
With more than 700 comic strip authors, Belgium has more comic strip artists per square mile than any other country in the world! It is here that the comic strip has grown from a popular medium into an art in its own right.
Mont Des Arts
The Mont des Arts garden is located below place Royale and provides a green transition between the upper and lower parts of the city, between the Royal Quarter and the Grand-Place in the city's historical centre.
Originally built for the 1910 Universal Exhibition, it was adapted in the 1950s to form part of the vast urban complex of the Mont des Arts. The Mont des Arts "complex" includes the KBR (formerly the Royal Library), a shopping and office gallery on the other side of the street (appropriately named the "Mont des Arts"); the Square congress center with its glass cube and statue of Albert I; gardens and esplanades, as well as an underground car park.
The current garden was restored in 2001.
They host a variety of concerts, shows, a cinema and more entertainment.
The Musical Instrument Museum
Renowned for its collection of over 1,500 instruments, the museum showcases the instruments and provides visitors with free headphones to experience their sounds.
The collection represents Belgian musical history (including Brussels’ importance in the making of recorders in the 18th and 19th centuries and as the home of instrument inventor Adolphe Sax in the 19th century), European musical traditions, and non-European instruments.
Mechanical instruments are shown in the basement, traditional instruments on the ground floor, the development of the modern orchestral instruments on the first floor, and keyboard and stringed instruments on the second floor.
The museum also has a sound lab where visitors can experiment with various instruments.
Information is provided in French and Dutch, though not in English.
Théâtre Royal de Toone
Just steps from Grand-Place, down an alley marked with the word “Toone” and two cherubs, lies a nearly 200-year-old puppet theater. Founded in 1830, the Théâtre Royal de Toone still offers several shows each week. For those who want to pair their puppetry with exceptional Belgian beers, its space is also home to a pub that lets you drink among the marionettes.
According to Toone’s current owner, Nicolas Géal, Brussels had around 50 puppet theaters in the 19th century. Marionettes were often used to perform satires as artists believed it was safer to filter biting commentary through the innocuous face of a doll. Today, the marionette theaters of Brussels have all but disappeared, but Toone keeps the tradition alive. Its 1,400 puppets perform classics, such as Romeo & Juliet, The Three Musketeers, and the Nativity story.
After the show is over, you can head to the adjacent pub, which is adorned with dolls dangling from the rafters; decapitated, mustachioed puppet heads peer down from above a door; and, on a small, spotlit stage, two swashbuckling marionettes freeze mid-duel.
Historical Exploration
Bourse
In 1868, construction of the Bourse began on what was the former Butter Market. When completed in 1873, ut became a center of financial power for Belgium. However, in more recent years, the building lost its appearance and closed itself off from the outside world. In 2015, the last six Euronext traders left the building and it stood abandoned until its renovation in 2023. It now houses a variety of museums, including Belgian Beer World, as well as the archaeological site, Bruxella 1238.
Cemetery Dieweg
Constructed in 1866 after a cholera epidemic ravaged Belgium, Dieweg became overcrowded and the cemetery was abandoned in 1958.
A few decades later, during the 1980s, the cemetery fell into a state of decay. Its maintenance was then limited to the pathways, which left the upkeep of the graves to the families. Ever since, nature has reclaimed many of the tombs as they are covered in ivy and weeds.
Although the cemetery isn’t functional anymore, a few exceptions have been made. For example, the famous cartoonist Hergé, from The Adventures of Tintin, was buried here.
Recently, plans have been made to maintain certain important gravestones. After all, architectural styles with funerary art dating from the late 19th-century to the 1950s are richly represented throughout the burial site.
Cinquantenaire Park
Built in 1880 to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence, Cinquantenaire Park is both a collection of French-style gardens and a historical site that's home to monuments, sculptures, and museums. The wide paths lead to the Pavilion of Human Passions, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, the Art & History Museum, and Autoworld - the car museum.
They host sporting events, concerts, festivals, and fireworks.
Grand Place
After our two-hour break, we decided to go explore downtown Brussels. After taking several twists and turns down streets/alleyways, lined with chocolate shops, we made it to the Grand Place (pronounced plats). As most European travelers know, almost every town has one - it's just a big town square where people congregate. (Click here for the complete history.) In this particular case, it's a famous one, as it started construction in the 1100s and boasts influences from the Medieval times, as well as Louis XIV. On our first day there, we happened to stumble upon two things: 1) A meeting of princes at the Royal Windsor Hotel, where I could have stayed for the next hour or so to snag one :-) ; but 2) a setup for one of the world's largest beer festivals to celebrate the Manneken-Pis - more on that later.
Maison de la Bellone
Built in 1697, La Bellone was named after Bellona, the Ancient Roman goddess of war, whose figure towers over the main door, which is also decorated with motifs celebrating the 1697 Battle of Zenta, an important Austrian victory over the Turkish Empire.
The house was acquired by Nicolas Bally and his wife Gertrude de Smeth immediately after its construction, though not much is known about the couple, nor how they used the estate. The building was acquired by the city in 1913 and has undergone several restorations in the 100 years since, including the 1995 addition of its distinctive glass roof by architect Olivier Noterman.
Today, a hall and a covered passageway open up to a courtyard where the curved glass roof protects the house and provides a space for events ranging from exhibitions to meetings to musical performances. La Bellone also serves as a cultural center, information center, and arts library.
Place Sainte-Catherine
Not far from Grand Place is Place Sainte-Catherine, a lively neighborhood full of cafes, a market, and its namesake church that was built in the late 1800s, ton top of a 14th century church. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon!
FUN TIP: Check out the Black Tower, which dates back to the 13th century and was part of the original fortification that surrounded the city center. For over 800 years, it has survived numerous waves of redevelopment in a part of the city that became an inland port.
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace of Brussels is the King’s administrative residence and main workplace, where he works daily with his staff. In his office, the King receives the representatives of political institutions, foreign guests (heads of state, ambassadors), as well as other guests.
In addition to the office of the King and of the Queen, the Royal Palace plays host to the services of the King’s Household: the King’s Cabinet, the General Secretariat, the Civil List, the Military Household, the Protocol, and the Queen’s Secretariat. The other members of the Royal Family also have an office at the Brussels Palace, where their staff work.
The Palace comprises also prestige reception rooms where various activities of the King and the Royal Family are organised (work meetings and roundtables, receptions, concerts, lunches, etc.).
Since 1965, a tradition has been established to open the Brussels Palace to the public every summer after the National Holiday of July 21 - end of September.
St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral
HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL
9th century - A chapel, dedicated to Saint Michael, existed on this location.
11th century - It was replaced by a Romanesque church, which in 1047, took the name “collegiate church”. The relics of Saint Gudule were transported there - the church then took the name of “Collegiate Church of St Michel and Ste Gudule”.
13th Century -The construction of the cathedral of St Michel and Gudule, (formerly the collegiate church of SS Michel and Gudule) was undertaken at the beginning of the 13th Century. Almost 300 years were necessary to complete the cathedral, which was completed during the reign of Emperor Charles V.
1226 - The choir was constructed
14th and 15th centuries - The nave and the transept were built
16th century - The stained glass window was installed, along with the confessionals.
17th century - The Pulpit of truth was built
1962 - It took the title of “St-Michel Cathedral” to be promoted with St Rombaut Cathedral in Mechelen, “seat of the archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels”
1975 - The Carillon was built
1982 - 1999 - Large restoration works took place, which included discovering the remains of the Romanesque church, as well as the Romanesque crypt, located under the current choir.
Unique Experiences
Commemoration of Peter the Great's Vomit
In Parc de Bruxelles, across rom the Royal Palace in Brussels, there are two odd, 8-meter pits on either side of the path. Walk over to the pit on the left hand side, but know that this isn’t the best part of town -it apparently has been the site of prostitution for centuries, though more famously known as the place where Peter the Great once vomited.
The story goes that on April 16, 1717, Tsar Peter Alexeyevich wasn’t feeling so well after a night of revelry. Around 3 PM, while being shown about town, the great leader sat down on the edge of a fountain and puked.
In 1856, Prince Demidoff donated a statue to commemorate Peter the Great’s visit to Brussels and included a small inscription on a basin noting the details of the incident in botched Latin: “INSIDIENS MARGINI HUIUS FONTIS, AQUAM NOBILITAVIT LIBATO VINO,” which translates to, “As he sat on the edge of this fountain, he enabled its waters with the wine of his libations.”
The basin and its inscription are no longer there, as the statue has been vandalized, repeatedly, over the past 150 years.
Everard t'Serclaes Monument
The story of Everard t’Serclaes dates back to the 14th century when Brussels was contested between the ruling Duke of Brabant and the Count of Flanders. After a disputed succession in Brabant, the Flemish troops occupied the city in 1356. On the night of October 24, 1356, Everard secretly entered Brussels with a group of patriots after scaling the city walls. Everard and his troops led a rebellion against the Flemish, forcing them to flee.
The rightful rulers Joanna and Wenceslaus, regained their power, and Everard became alderman of Brussels five times. Years later, Everard opposed the selling of some land to a local lord, and for this was beaten by his enemies, leading to his death shortly afterwards.
In 1898, Belgian artist Julien Dillens sculpted a bronze monument to commemorate Everard t’Serclaes. The memorial is considered lucky by the locals and it is said that touching and rubbing the statue, especially the arm, can bring luck, grant wishes, and ensure that one will come to Brussels again.
Expo 58 - Grand Prix exhibition & ATOmium
Our first full day took us out to the former World's Fair site, Expo 58, for the Grand Prix Historical Exhibition race. It was a day for car enthusiasts, allowing VIP ticket holders to race historical Grand Prix cars for 10 laps, as well as chance for spectators to see historical Grand Prix cars in motion from the 60s - 90s.
About the Atomium
In 1958, the 335-foot Atomium was built for the Brussel’s World’s Fair, though it was never meant to be a permanent installation. It was formed by nine spheres arranged in the shape that iron atoms take in their delta and alpha allotropes. (In iron’s gamma allotrope, there are extra atoms at the center of each face of the cube.) The Atomium is magnified 165 billion times the normal size of an iron crystal.
Garderobe Manneken Pis
The statue’s wardrobe now contains around 1,000 outfits, with about 20 new costumes donated to the statue each year. This small museum near the fountain features a selection of this vast and varied wardrobe in a rotating display.
Dressing the statue is a tradition that dates back to the mid-18th century. The first costume was given to the boy in 1747 by the French King Louis XV, after his soldiers stole the statue during a visit to the city. Even then Manneken Pis was known as a local landmark and the city folk were shocked. The king personally made sure that the statue returned and gave it a military officer outfit. Along with the outfit he also declared Manneken Pis a knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Louis, an honorary order typically reserved for the most distinguished officers. The outfit gifted by Louis XV is the oldest costume in the Garderobe’s collection.
Jeanneke Pis
Squatting at a height of a little under a meter, this modern statue portrays a small, pigtailed girl with her knees spread while happily urinating. This limestone memorial was originally created by Denis-Adrien Debouvrie in 1985 and officially unveiled in 1987. Because it is such a new addition to the city’s history, Jeanneke Pis remains widely unknown to travelers who do not live in Brussels.
The statue is located across the street from the Délirium Café on the nearly-hidden Impasse de la Fidélité near the Rue des Bouchers, which may also explain its lack of popularity in comparison to Manneken Pis. The girl is also (perhaps mercifully) afforded greater privacy than her male peer, as anti-vandal iron bars now cover her cosy niche.
A visit to Jeanneke Pis can also be an altruistic one as passersby are encouraged to throw coins into the fountain beneath the squatting girl. The money goes towards a cancer research charity.
HOW TO GET THERE: Look for the Impasse de la Fidélité alley off Rue de Bouchers (not far from Grand Place and the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert arcade). She's near the end of the alleyway, hidden behind bars but clearly signposted.
Madame Chapeau Sculpture
Amélie Van Beneden, nicknamed “Madame Chapeau” or “Mrs. Hat,” is a supporting character in the play Bossemans et Coppenolle, which was written by Joris d’Hanswyck and Paul Van Stalleand, and first staged in 1938. Traditionally portrayed by a male actor, the elderly lady is written as a representation of zwanze, the self-deprecative sense of humor typical in the Brusselian way of life, and speaks in the near-extinct, Francizied dialect of Dutch known as Brusseleer.
In 2000, the sculpture was commissioned by the Brabant Federation of Socialist Mutuality and erected in the city of Brussels. It depicts a bow-legged, bespectacled Madame Chapeau apparently counting the coins in her purse, while a curious rabbit and a green onion peek out of her wicker handbag.
MannekEn-Pis
HISTORY
1451 - 1452 - The earliest mention of the existence of Manneken Pis can be found in an administrative document, from 1451–52, about the water lines supplying the fountains of Brussels. From the beginning, the fountain played an essential role in the distribution of drinking water. It stood on a column and poured water into a double rectangular basin of stone.
1619 - The first statue was replaced with a new bronze version, commissioned by Brussels' city council. This 21.9” bronze statue (on the corner of the Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat and the Rue des Grands Carmes/Lievevrouwbroerstraat) was conceived by the Brabantine sculptor, Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, father of the architect and sculptor, Jérôme Duquesnoy the Younger, as well as the famous sculptor François Duquesnoy.
1695 - During its history, Manneken Pis faced many hazards. It survived the bombardment of Brussels of 1695 by the French army, but the pipes were affected, so no drinking water was available. It was also then that it served as a symbol for the people of Brussels. After the bombardment, it was triumphantly placed again on its pedestal.
1697 - As shown by an engraving by Jacobus Harrewijn, the fountain was no longer located on the street, but in a recess at the corner of the Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat and the Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat and was protected by a gate.
1770 - The column and the double rectangular basin disappeared - the statue integrated into a new decor in the form of a stone niche in rocaille style, originating from another dismantled fountain of Brussels. The water simply flowed through a grating in the ground, which was replaced with a basin in the 19th century. In its new setting, Manneken Pis gives the impression of being smaller than in its original layout.
1851 - The latter prevented access to water, relegating the fountain to a decorative and symbolic role. It is also the case, around the same time, of the other fountains in Brussels. This correlates with efforts by the City of Brussels, starting in 1855, to allow for the distribution of drinking water in homes.
It’s so famous, it has also been stolen (and recovered) numerous times over the last 300 years.
HISTORY OF THE ORDER AND OF THE CEREMONY
In 1954, the Order of Friends of Manneken-Pis was created to defend and promote Manneken-Pis, a symbol of Brussels folklore, around the world. This order was created by a few friends and perpetuated thanks to the work of many volunteers who are passionate about Brussels folklore. They hold numerous dressing ceremonies in a calendar year. Click here to view.
Mini-Europe
Mini-Europe (a park) was created in 1989 and features 350 (1:25) monuments and live action models, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, an erupting Mount Vesuvius, and Big Ben including its famous chimes. The buildings represent roughly 80 cities in the EU, most of which were financed by their respective countries or regions.
With the exception of a few stone structures, most of the monuments were created using a silicone mold and epoxy resin or polyester casts. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela took 24,000 hours to build, and the Grand Place of Brussels cost roughly €350,000 to complete.
Zinneke Pis
Manneken Pis not only has a female counterpart, Jeanneke Pis, but also a dog known as Zinneke Pis, who is forever lifting his leg onto a Brussels street pole.
Zinneke Pis was installed on the corner of Rue des Chartreux and Rue du Vieux Marché aux grains in 1998, centuries after his symbolic master was installed in the city in 1619. Like the little boy and the little girl, the pup was created life-size, but unlike its masters, the Zinneke Pis is not actually a fountain but simply, a bronze statue.
Walking Tours
Royal Greenhouse of Laeken
In 1873, architect Alphonse Balat designed for King Leopold II a complex of greenhouses which compliment the castle of Laeken. The complex has the appearance of a glass city set in an undulating landscape.
The monumental pavilions, glass cupolas, wide arcades that cross the site like covered streets. They are the culmination of various meetings, letters, sketches, and plans exchanged between architect Alphonse Balat and King Leopold II. But above all, they inspired the new Belgian architecture of the day, and their influence spread, with Art Nouveau, throughout the world.
What you can view:
Some of the plants belonging to King Leopold II's original collections still exist.
The current collections still respect the spirit that prevailed when the original collections were planted.
The Royal Greenhouses still contain an enormous number of rare and valuable plants.
TIP: Check their website to see if they are open, as they are only open to the public three weeks in the spring.
Sablon neighborhood
The Sablon (fine-grained sand in English) lies near the Mont des Arts/Kunstberg neighborhood, not far outside the first walls of Brussels. It was originally an unused open space with areas of wetlands, grassland, and sand, where a hermit made his home.
In 1304, the Guild of the brothers and sisters of Saint John's Hospital ceded the land to the Crossbowmen's Guild. They built a modest chapel and a cemetery, dedicated to Our Lady, completed in 1318, setting off the transformation of the area. Legend has is that the chapel became famous after a local devout woman, named Beatrijs Soetkens, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary instructed her to steal the miraculous statue of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw op ‘t Stocxken ("Our Lady on the little stick") in Antwerp, bring it to Brussels, and place it in the chapel of the Crossbowmen's Guild. The woman stole the statue and through a series of miraculous events, was able to transport it to Brussels by boat in 1348. It was then solemnly placed in the chapel and venerated as the patron of the Guild. The Guild also promised to hold an annual procession, called an Ommegang, in which the statue was carried through Brussels. This Ommegang developed into an important religious and civil event in Brussels' annual calendar.
In the 15th century, the neighborhood began to enlarge substantially. The chapel was rebuilt as the larger and more elegant Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon, still standing today. In 1470, Duke Charles the Bold charged a body with the creation of a street running from his nearby Coudenberg Palace to the church.
In the 16th century, Brussels' most prominent noblemen established themselves on the upper Sablon and on the Rue aux Laines. By the 17th century, the Sablon had grown to become the most aristocratic and prosperous neighborhood in the city.
The Egmont Palace on the Petit Sablon is still standing, and gives the best indication of what the area was like at the height of its splendor. The grandiose houses of the Lannoys and the Mérode-Westerloo family still stand on the Rue aux Laines.
In 1566, the Culemborg Mansion on the Rue des Petits Carmes/Karmelietenstraat was the site of the drafting of the Compromise of Nobles, which ultimately led to the Dutch Revolt. To eliminate any trace of this seditious act against the king, the Duke of Alba razed the mansion to the ground in 1568.
The proximity of the cemetery was already an irritation to its aristocratic neighbors in 1554, but it would be another 150 years before the government of Brussels recognized that the situation had become unbearable. They reported that corpses were often neglected and left in only half-covered graves, from which dogs had several times pulled parts off and run around in broad daylight with arms and legs in their mouths. It was, therefore, decided in 1704 to move the cemetery to the Marolles/Marollen district.
The Sablon neighborhood was remodeled in the 19th century as the Rue de la Régence/Regentschapstraat was driven through the area, creating a Haussmann-esque style artery between the Royal Palace of Brussels in the Royal Quarter and the new Palace of Justice in the Marolles. The new street skirted the church and all buildings immediately adjacent to it were demolished, starting in 1872, opening up new views of the church.
The social composition of the neighborhood changed over the course of time. In the 19th century, it was incrementally abandoned by the aristocracy in favor of newer, more chic neighborhoods, such as the Leopold Quarter.
In the 20th century, the Square du Grand Sablon/Grote Zavelsquare was occupied by a more modest populace, characterized by small workshops and warehouses. At the end of the 1960s, the character of the area began to change yet again. Multiple antique stores moved to the area, following demolitions in the nearby Mont des Arts area. Recently, a number of chocolatiers and confectioners have come to the area, which is once again the heart of the Brussels upper class.
Know Before You Go
While there are pick-pocketers all over the world, there’s a high concentration in Brussels, especially during peak events seasons. Make sure to keep a watchful eye on your belongings.
A History Summary
Until 979 AD - Traces of human settlement go back to the Stone Age, though the first real discoveries date back to Roman occupation. Following that period, it was incorporated into the Frankish Empire.
Late 10th century - Duke Charles of Lower Lorraine transferred the relics of the martyr Saint Gudula from Moorsel (located in today's province of East Flanders) to Saint Gaugericus' chapel. When King Lothair II appointed the same Charles (his brother) to become Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 977, Charles ordered the construction of the city's first permanent fortification, doing so on that same island.
Early 11th Century - Lambert I of Leuven, Count of Leuven, gained the County of Brussels by marrying Charles' daughter. Because of its location on the banks of the Senne, it became a commercial center specialized in the textile trade.
13th century - The first walls of Brussels were built and after this, the city grew significantly.
14th century - To let the city expand, a second set of walls were erected, which remnants of them can still be seen.
16th century - Charles V was now the ruler of a Habsburg Empire "on which the sun never sets" with Brussels serving as one of his main capitals. Lace began being an export of Brussels.
17th century - Brussels was a center for the lace industry, as well as tapestry-making, which hung on the walls of castles throughout Europe. Later in that century, during the Nine Years' War, King Louis XIV of France sent troops to bombard Brussels with artillery. Together with the resulting fire, it was the most destructive event in the entire history of Brussels. The Grand-Place was destroyed, along with 4,000 buildings—a third of all the buildings in the city.
18th century - Brussels was captured by France in 1746, during the War of the Austrian Succession, but was handed back to Austria three years later. It remained with Austria until 1795.
Early 19th century - The French rule ended in 1815, with the defeat of Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo, located south of today's Brussels-Capital Region. However, 15 years later, the Belgian Revolution began in Brussels, after a performance of Auber's opera La Muette de Portici at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie.
Mid-19th century - On July 21, 1831, Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, ascended the throne, undertaking the destruction of the city walls and the construction of many buildings. One year later, the Industrial Revolution swept through the city, along with the opening of the Brussles-Charleroi canal. This paved the way for many inventions and the opening of two universities. All of this caused a population boom that took it from 80,000 to more than 625,000 people.
Late 19th century - The Senne had become a serious health hazard and was completely covered over, allowing for urban renewal and the construction of modern buildings of Haussmann-esque style along grand central boulevards, including the Brussels Stock Exchange (1873), the Palace of Justice (1883) and Saint Mary's Royal Church (1885) date from this period.
Early to mid-20th century - Brussels hosted various fairs and conferences, including the Solvay Conference on Physics and on Chemistry, as well as three world's fairs: The Brussels International Exposition of 1910, the Brussels International Exposition of 1935, and the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo 58). However, in between all of this, German forces occupied the city during WWII, though spared it major damage. It was liberated on September 1944.
1960s - Brussels became the de facto capital of what would become the European Union (EU), and many modern offices were built. Sadly, numerous architectural landmarks were demolished to make way for newer buildings that often clashed with their surroundings.
1989 - The Brussels-Capital Region was formed on 18 June 1989, after a constitutional reform in 1988. It is one of the three federal regions of Belgium, along with Flanders and Wallonia, and has bilingual status.
