Must-see attractions in Brussels
Brussels
Beer lovers shouldn’t miss this unique living brewery-museum. Atmospheric and family run, it’s Brussels’ last operating lambic brewery and still uses much…
Brussels
This was the first building of note by Horta, commissioned by a friend and fellow mason in 1893. As per the brief, it shows little luxury or extravagance,…
Brussels
Worth seeing in combination with the Atomium, ADAM features a surprisingly intriguing collection of classic plastic: the 1965 Universale, which was the…
Brussels
Anderlecht was still a country village when world-famous humanist Erasmus came to ‘play at farming’ in 1521. The lovely brick home where he stayed for…
Cathédrale des Sts-Michel & Gudule
Brussels
Host to coronations and royal weddings, Brussels’ grand, twin-towered cathedral bears at least some resemblance to Paris’ Notre Dame. Begun in 1226,…
Brussels
The Domain Royale contains a trio of palace-villas that are home to Belgium’s ruling family. All are out of bounds to tourists, but for two or three weeks…
Brussels
Notice the hop plants climbing columns here! At the former brewers' guildhall, which is still the Belgian brewers’ headquarters, two atmospheric but small…
Brussels
Architecture fans should take the trip to this striking, symmetrical, 1930s villa, which combines austere design with gorgeously opulent materials: marble…
Brussels
A great highlight of an ARAU tour is getting into the otherwise closed Hôtel Van Eetvelde. While the outside of this building is not Brussels’ most…
Brussels
Built in 1905, this stunning house was the home of architect and painter Paul Cauchie (1875–1952), and its sgraffito facade, adorned with graceful female…
Brussels
The square’s smallest building, surmounted by a star, is where city hero Everard ’t Serclaes died in 1388. A fairly contemporary ‘tradition’ claims you’ll…
Church of St-Pierre & St-Guidon
Brussels
The church has some original murals and was once a major pilgrimage site: right up until WWI, cart drivers and those suffering fits would arrive here to…
Brussels
This intimate museum occupies an Ixelles town house that was the last home and studio of Brussels-born artist Constantin Meunier (1831–1905) and presents…
Brussels
Horta designed this in 1894 at the age of 33, and it's considered one of his masterpieces. It was commissioned by the Solvay family (soft-drink…
Brussels
The enormous Serres Royales were built by Alphonse Balat during Léopold II's reign. Fuchsias and all sorts of tropical species thrive inside, and Belgians…
Brussels
The haunting facade of this narrow building is an extravagance of knotted and twisted ironwork. It was built in 1903 for painter Léonard St-Cyr by Gustave…
Brussels
The visitor centre of the EU Parliament makes a valiant multimedia attempt to engage visitors, with an interactive floor map allowing you to tour the EU,…
Brussels
This huge 19th-century former skating rink looks more like a church, with a rose window, wrought-iron and a timber roof. It has been converted into a…
Brussels
An attractive if severe space, with a big picture window looking out to a garden. Xavier Hufkens opened a gallery in a Brussels warehouse in 1987, and…
Brussels
Hidden behind an art nouveau exterior, this gallery features an old mosaiced corridor and a minimalist extension at the rear. There's an expansive gallery…
Brussels
This raw and unsettling mural is based on Caravaggio's Sacrifice of Isaac, and shows a child about to have his throat cut. The artist, who has also…
National Bank of Belgium Museum
Brussels
Unexpectedly absorbing, the renovated National Bank Museum is far more than just a coin collection. Well-presented exhibits trace the very concept of…
Brussels
This bright, dynamic mural features not a football club but a parade of characters based on a TV series that ran from 1990 to 2011. The show was turned…
Brussels
In what seems an outwardly typical Ixelles town house, this museum hits you with jumbled rooms full of cyborg body parts, Terminator heads and vampire…
Brussels
This contemporary gallery located in a former industrial zone near Wiels focuses on the work of young contemporary artists, hosting changing exhibitions.
Brussels
There is a museum in this step-gabled house where Pieter Bruegel the Elder lived and died, but it’s only open by reservation; phone ahead or check with…
Brussels
Old maps, architectural relics and paintings give a historical overview of the city. Don’t miss Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1567 Cortège de Noces (Wedding…
Brussels
This 1901 former food market is a great example of glass and wrought-iron industrial architecture. It's been restored as a cultural centre and performance…
Brussels
Founded way back in 1991, this gallery has broadened from its original remit to represent photographers. It's a striking glass-roofed white-walled space.
Brussels
Located in the brutalist Galerie Rivoli, a '70s former shopping centre, Hopstreet works with young and emerging Europe-based artists.
Brussels
The bakers' guildhall is now the cafe Le Roy d’Espagne. The gilded bronze bust above the door is bakers’ patron St-Aubert.
Brussels
This medieval church was badly damaged in the 1695 bombardment of Brussels, and features some lovely 1950s stained glass.
Brussels
Victor Horta's first civic commission, the charming Jardin d’Enfants in the Marolles still functions as a schoolhouse.
Brussels
A lovely art deco church built from concrete, a bold move in 1935 when it was completed.
Brussels
These two long, narrow freshwater ponds in Ixelles are flanked by many grand mansions.