Brussels, what's there to see?

A brief introduction to Brussels

Brussels became the city that it is today because of the position on important trading routes that it had in the Middle Ages. It was well connected to the more Northern areas through ‘the Senne’ river, and it tied East and West together through routes over land. The connection it offered between prosperous cities such as Cologne, Bruges and Ghent made Brussels grow into a commercial center.

In the 11th to 13th centuries the city would grow in wealth and population thanks to its ability to manufacture high quality cloth and textiles. Later, in the 16th to 18th centuries Brussels would become famous throughout Europe for its craft of woven tapestries. Kings, emperors and popes would all want their stories depicted on these enormous fabrics, and ordered them to be produced in Brussels.

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Despite Brussels its potential and the moments of glory it had, it has always had difficulties developing. Being founded around the year 1000, the city is about a 1000 years younger than some of the other capital cities of middle Europe. Consequentially, it was smaller and often an easy target for attacks or sanctions.Throughout history, Brussels has suffered from the conquests between great nations such as France, Spain, Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. At multiple moments we were cut off of our wool supply, stagnating our growth in its production of tapestries. We also had many different rulers, and only in 1830 Brussels became the independent capital of the newly founded country ‘Belgium’. And even then, Brussels would have a hard task uniting the French and Dutch speaking cultures that seemingly had little in common.

Today, Brussels is still a complex mixture of cultures and politics. However, as someone who has lived there my entire life, I can say that it’s a vibrant and beautiful city. Our city has some stunning squares, as well as art-nouveau and deco houses, and has plenty of stories to be discover. Not to forget, we take pride in our craft of beers, which is also an important part of our culture.

Visiting Brussels

For those visiting Brussels for a first time, or who are just unfamiliar with Brussels’ general history, I would suggest to visit the upper city first. The rich moved here when the city expanded, protecting itself from the floods of the Senne river. It is where the palace of the King is, as well as where the King’s square overlooks the city. And, it is the perfect place for a visit to the city to begin.

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Definitely worth visiting are also the ‘Kleine Zavel’, a beautiful old square, also rich with history. From here it’s an easy walk to the downtown passing the Poelaert square, the high street, the chapel church, … and finally also the ‘Grand Place’. The Grand Place is the central square of Brussels, surrounded by Baroque guildhalls, a flamboyant Town Hall and the Neo-Gothic King’s House.

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If you are interested in getting to know Brussels, we’d love to guide you through our city. It is our mission to tell and show you the real Brussels.