A glass elevator leads from the Palais du Justice down to the earthy Marolles district.
©Analia Glogowski/Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Museum Plantin-Moretus
26.38 MILES
The medieval building and 1622 courtyard garden alone would be worth a visit, but it's the world's oldest printing press, priceless manuscripts and…
Old England Building
0.48 MILES
This 1899 former department store is an art nouveau showpiece with a black facade aswirl with wrought iron and arched windows. The building contains the…
Grand Place
0.62 MILES
Brussels’ magnificent Grand Place is one of the world’s most unforgettable urban ensembles. Oddly hidden, the enclosed cobblestone square is only revealed…
MIM
0.48 MILES
Strap on a pair of headphones, then step on the automated floor panels in front of the precious instruments (including world instruments and Adolphe Sax’s…
Musée Horta
0.95 MILES
The typically austere exterior doesn’t give much away, but Victor Horta’s former home (designed and built 1898–1901) is an art nouveau jewel. The…
St-Gilles Town Hall
0.96 MILES
One of Brussels’ overlooked architectural wonders, this splendid Napoleon III–style palace sports a soaring brick belfry dotted with gilt statuary. Try to…
Rubenshuis
26.35 MILES
This delightfully indulgent 1611 mansion was built as a home and studio for celebrated painter Pieter Paul Rubens. It was rescued from ruins in 1937 and…
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal
26.53 MILES
Belgium’s finest Gothic cathedral was 169 years in the making (1352–1521). Wherever you wander in Antwerp, its gracious, 123m-high spire has a habit of…
Nearby Brussels attractions
1. Palais de Justice
0.04 MILES
Larger than St Peter’s in Rome, this 2.6-hectare complex of law courts was the world’s biggest building when it was constructed (1866–83). While the…
3. Peeping Policeman
0.08 MILES
This Hergé character uses the terrace end brilliantly for a little spying.
4. Bruegel House
0.09 MILES
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…
5. Jardin d’Enfants
0.18 MILES
Victor Horta's first civic commission, the charming Jardin d’Enfants in the Marolles still functions as a schoolhouse.
6. Josephine Baker Mural
0.23 MILES
In one of the most distinctive Marolles murals, slinky chanteuse Josephine, with a leopard on a lead, shakes hands with a rotund monk. Behind, both in the…
7. Jewish Museum
0.23 MILES
The Jewish Museum hosts good temporary photography exhibits and a permanent collection relating to Jewish life in Belgium and beyond, with a section on…
8. Place du Petit Sablon
0.26 MILES
About 200m uphill from Place du Grand Sablon, this charming little garden is ringed by 48 bronze statuettes representing the medieval guilds. Standing…