Patrimoine

With its particularly rich historical and artistic heritage, Brussels continues to surprise and move visitors from all parts of the world. Famed for its legendary Grand-Place (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998) and the no less famous Manneken-Pis, who is undeniably part and parcel of Brussels’ cultural heritage, the capital of Europe is also one of the cradles of Surrealism, in which René Magritte is a figurehead, and Art Nouveau. By 1890, Horta, Hankar, Cauchie and Blerot were breaking boundaries to create a total and organic art, deploying its curves and arabesques in magnificent townhouses, furniture, decorative objects, and crockery. This movement, as creative as it was short-lived, was to evolve into the sleeker and more geometric Art Deco of which many listed examples adorn the streets of the city. With its rich heritage, Brussels also boasts a wealth of museums that criss-cross its territory and are real hubs of tourist attraction. And that is not to mention its delightful gastronomic heritage: crunchy chips, aromatic gueuze and kriek beers, fluffy waffles and mesmerising chocolate.