239. Brussels, Belgium - Atomium, Grand-Place, Léon de Bruxelles, Manneken Pis

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Atomium - The most popular tourist attraction in the capital of Europe, an art centre and an international symbol of Brussels and Belgium. The Atomium is a landmark modernist building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed as the centrepiece of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo 58). Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and the architects André and Jean Polak as a tribute to scientific progress, as well as to symbolise Belgian engineering skills at the time, it is located on the Heysel/Heizel Plateau in Laeken (northern part of the City of Brussels), where the exhibition took place. It is the city's most popular tourist attraction, and serves as a museum, an art centre and a cultural destination.
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The Atomium stands 102 metres (335 ft) tall, making it one of the tallest structures in Belgium. Its nine 18-metre-diameter (59 ft) stainless steel clad spheres are connected in the shape of a unit cell that could represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Steel tubes connecting the spheres enclose stairs, escalators and an elevator (in the central, vertical tube) to allow access to the six visitable spheres, which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere includes a restaurant with a panoramic view of Brussels. The building was completely renovated between 2004 and 2006 by the companies Jacques Delens and BESIX.
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The building is located on the Square de l'Atomium/Atomiumsquare, at the intersection of the Boulevard du Centenaire/Eeuwfeestlaan with the Avenue de l'Atomium/Atomiumlaan and the Avenue de Bouchout/Boechoutlaan, and opposite the Centenary Palace of the Brussels Exhibition Centre (Brussels Expo). It is served by Heysel/Heizel metro station on line 6 of the Brussels Metro.
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Brussels, Belgium

 

 

 

 

Grand-Place - The Grand-Place or Grote Markt is the central square of Brussels, Belgium. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices; the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building, containing the Brussels City Museum. The square measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 361 ft) and is entirely paved.
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The Grand-Place's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 17th. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, most of the square was destroyed during the bombardment of Brussels by French troops. Only the facade and the tower of the Town Hall, which served as a target for the artillery, and some stone walls resisted the incendiary balls. The houses that surrounded the Grand-Place were rebuilt during subsequent years, giving the square its current appearance, though they were frequently modified in the following centuries. From the mid-19th century, the square's heritage value was rediscovered, and it was thoroughly renovated.
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Nowadays, the Grand-Place is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also considered one of the world's most beautiful squares, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. The square frequently hosts festive and cultural events, among them, in August of every even year, the installation of an immense flower carpet in its centre. It is also a centre of annual celebrations during the Christmas and New Year period, and a Christmas tree has been erected annually on the square since the mid-20th century.
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This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand-Place/Grote Markt (on line 95).
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Léon de Bruxelles - Léon de Bruxelles is a chain of restaurants that known for primarily serving moules-frites. Léon de Bruxelles is a French independent franchise originally set up by a Belgian restaurateur family who has run the over 100 year old Brussels restaurant Chez Léon. Léon de Bruxelles restaurants are known for serving Belgian cuisine inspired menu.
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In 1867, Léon Vanlancker set up business within a stone's throw distance of Brussels's landmark square, the Grand-Place, to run a five-table restaurant called A la Ville d'Anvers. In 1893, he moved a few meters from there to 18 rue des Bouchers and opened the larger fr:Chez Léon. Growth accelerated from 1958 onward when Belgium's reputation as the capital of mussels and French fries was cemented. Since then, the Vanlancker owned restaurant continued to expand. Today, Chez Léon extends to nine buildings and more than one thousand meals are served every day.
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In 1989, the inheritor of the family business, Rudy Vanlancker opened the first Léon restaurant at Place de la République in Paris. Other Léon de Bruxelles restaurants open in other districts of the city, including the flagship restaurant on the Champs-Élysées in 1991. By 1995, Léon de Bruxelles opened its first restaurant outside Paris, with the restaurant of Montlhéry in North France. More openings followed and today there are 67 Léon de Bruxelles restaurants across France. Léon de Bruxelles opened its first restaurant in the UK in January 2012. Located at 24 Cambridge Circus in Covent Garden, London. However, this restaurant is now closed.
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Manneken Pis - Manneken Pis, 'Little Pissing Man' is a landmark 55.5 cm (21.9 in)[a] bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium, depicting a puer mingens; a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. Though its existence is attested as early as the mid-15th century, Manneken Pis was redesigned by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1619. Its stone niche in rocaille style dates from 1770. The statue has been repeatedly stolen or damaged throughout its history. Since 1965, a replica has been displayed, with the original stored in the Brussels City Museum.
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Manneken Pis is one of the best-known symbols of Brussels and Belgium, inspiring several legends, as well as numerous imitations and similar statues both nationally and abroad. The figure is regularly dressed up and its wardrobe consists of around one thousand different costumes. Since 2017, they have been exhibited in a dedicated museum called GardeRobe MannekenPis. Owing to its self-derisive nature, Manneken Pis is also an example of belgitude (French; lit. 'Belgianness'), as well as of folk humour (zwanze) popular in Brussels.
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Manneken Pis is approximately five minutes' walk from the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (Brussels' main square), at the junction of the Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat and the pedestrian Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat. This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand-Place/Grote Markt (on lines 33, 48 and 95).
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