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Brussels is more than a 1000 years old.
Today the name Brussels stands for an agglomeration of 19 communes forming one of the three Regions of the federal Belgian state; the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium; the headquarters of the French and Flemish Communities.
Brussels also has an important international vocation : as the European capital the city is home to the European Commission and to the Council of ministers of the European Union (EU).
Brussels is the bilingual capital of Belgium. This means that both French and Dutch are the official languages of the city. Street names and traffic sings are always in these two languages. Furthermore, it is a cosmopolitan city where many different cultures live together and where different languages can be heard on each street. This liveliness and international flair is, of course, intimately related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe.
The same variety and contrast can also be found in the different architectural styles that can be found in Brussels, the former capital of the medieval Duchy of Brabant. Gothic cathedrals and churches are next to - and sometimes in stark contrast with - gracious classical facades like the buildings around the Royal Square (Place Royale - Koningsplein), or beautiful art nouveau and art deco houses.
The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city is the Grand'Place (Grote Markt). This historic market square with its splendid guild houses and the impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall, is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe.
Public Transport
There is a wide-spread network of public transport with trams, busses and metro. One same ticket can be used during one hour on all forms of public transport and costs 1,40 € . You can buy tickets from the driver of the tram or the bus, or in the underground metro stations where they are sold at booths. Also available are day-cards, 10-drive tickets or 5-drive tickets. After having purchased the ticket you are obliged to validate it in the orange boxes inside the vehicles or at the entrance of the metro. There are regular controls. The Brussels metro is considered to be very safe.
Brussels train stations:
- Brussels Central
- Brussels North
- Brussels South
Brussels has three main train stations (North, Central, Midi). Trains to Belgian cities go from all three stations . In the Midi-station (or South-station) you can take the Thalys train to Paris (1h20min) as well as the Eurostar train to London (2h40min). For prices : check at the station counter.
Some travel times: Brussels-Bruges = 1h, Brussels-Ghent = 40 min, Brussels - Antwerp = 35 min, Brussels - Liège = 1 h, Brussels - Amsterdam = 3h, Brussels - Cologne = 2h.
National Railway:
Belgian Tourist Board:
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