Grand-Place

It’s okay to feel small here — the Grand Place is designed to impress. It rises up around you, wrapping you in its stunning architecture and centuries of history. There’s a real sense of majesty here— and you’re right at the heart of it. This square is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world—or at the very least, in Belgium! That’s what Victor Hugo said when living in the House of the Pigeon during his years of exile. Apparently UNESCO agrees with him, as it added the square to the World Heritage list in 1998. This is truly the heart of Brussels. From this square, seven streets spread out to each one of the city’s original fortified gates. This large rectangular square is lined with stunning buildings, whose rich decorations reflect the power of a thriving merchant city rebuilding itself. The Grand-Place was destroyed in just three days by Louis XIV’s French troops in 1695, but it rose from its ashes under the form of an even more beautiful and grand structure. The only survivor from that era is what stands before you, the Town Hall, the last remaining witness of the medieval square and considered the crown jewel of the Grand-Place. Its facade is adorned with 300 statues, added in the 19th century, depicting key historical figures of Brussels. At the top of its 90-meter-high spire stands the archangel Saint Michael, serving as both a protector of the city and a weathervane.