Grand Place / Grote Markt, Brussels

The Place is dominated by the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), one of the biggest and finest buildings of its kind in Belgium. It was begun in 1402 with the intention of upstaging the Stadhuis in the rival city of Bruges. At first the plan was to build only what is now the left wing (1402-10); but in 1444 the right wing was also completed, followed in 1455 by Jan van Ruysbroek's 96m/315ft high belfry surmounted by the figure of St Michael. Although the French bombardment of 1695 left only the walls and tower standing, rebuilding started almost at once. Both wings are embellished with very fine Gothic sculptures beneath which, under the arcades on the right, are the signs of inns previously demolished to make way for the town hall.Inside are several magnificent rooms. Among the most impressive are the Maximilian Chamber hung with Brussels tapestries (historical scenes from the life of Clovis), the large Council Chamber with a superb ceiling by Victor Janssens and tapestries to his designs, the great banqueting hall and the Marriage Chamber, both beautifully panelled, and the Escalier d'Honneur with murals by Lalaing (1893) illustrating the history of Brussels.

Opposite the Hôtel de Ville stands the Maison du Roi which, despite its name, was never a royal residence. The king in question was the king of Spain and the "maison" was in fact the law courts. Directly in front is the spot where executions were carried out. The Maison's 13th C. predecessor was a building known as the Broodhuis (Bread House), appropriately enough since bread was indeed sold there for a time. Later it became a ducal law court before being replaced in 1515. By now rechristened the Maison du Roi, it was destroyed in 1695. The post-bombardment reconstruction was never very satisfactory and in 1873 rebuilding started yet again, based this time on the 1515 plans. The house as seen today was completed in 1895. The statues above the central arcade are those of Mary of Burgundy, Charles V and Duke Henry I.

The Maison du Roi is now Brussels' civic museum. The ground floor rooms to the left of the entrance contain 14th-18th C. sculptures, including some of the original ones from the Hôtel de Ville. In the rooms to the right of the entrance are 15th and 16th C. paintings, Brussels tapestries, porcelain and faience. The city's own development is the subject of a display on the first floor while on the second floor the emphasis is on social history - popular art, religion and other social themes. Also on the second floor is the wardrobe of Manneken Pis, a collection of costumes presented to "Petit Julien" by the rich and famous over the centuries, among them the French King Louis XIV.

The European Christmas Market will open from December 12-14. The products are from all the countries of the European community, displayed in a warm and friendly atmosphere. It is the holiday shoppers' delight.

From April through September, there are nightly music and light shows on the Grand' Place.

An interactive museum that invites visitors to explore the world of science through more than 70 hands-on exhibits.

The bird market is no longer operating.