Tongeren and Leuven

Tongeren is the oldest city in Belgium and attracts visitors with its antique flea market, offering a great variety of items. Tongeren Flea Markt is an extraordinary place-diverse, big, international and very nice to visit and to find valuable antiques.

I visited Tongeren mainly with the intention to see the big antique Flea market in Europe.I had a long walk here and had a wonderful time.

I was very much surprised by the size of the market and spent several hours around taking pictures and admiring things, displayed around the whole city, even in the underground parking.

Right in the center is the Basilica Notre Dame de Tongeres, the tallest building in Tongeren, constructed in 13^th century in a Gothic style. The interior is also interesting with many sculptures and paintings. Just behind the basilica is the Galo-Roman museum, which is also worth visiting.

Close to the basilica is the Grote Markt, the main square of Tongeren. In the middle is the monument of Ambriorix, the leader of the Gallic warriors who fight against the Romans and defeated the Roman troops.

As a guarantee of a successful trip, I sat in a cafe opposite the church and admired the majestic architecture, impressive façade and enjoyed the warm spring day.  

A great attraction for me was to visit the Begijnhof founded in 1257 and Unesco World Heritage Site. The architecture complex was built to host the beguines, religious women who lived in a community.

The complex included several houses built around a small chapel. The Begijnhof was surrounded by a wall and separated from the rest of the town.

The experience of walking around the town was very interesting, especially fulfilled by the enthusiastic visitors seeking for hidden treasures.

My next stop in Flanders was the lovely, old University city of Leuven. The dynamic and picturesque city has one of the most beautiful city centers in Belgium and has several attractions to offer for every taste.

I like culture and old historical buildings and I was really impressed by the big dimensions of the university library and the bell tower. 

The building looks old but was built in after the First World War because the old building was destroyed.  I did not have time to visit the library and do the guided tour but the building and its design brings a special charm to the entire square.

Not far away is the Great Market (Grote Market) many people come here to see the Town hall. This is the most beautiful building in Leuven and my favorite place, surrounded by stunning buildings.

The façade is richly decorated with statues (236!) and several towers. Really stunning and inspiring architecture.

I personally love so much the Flemish Gothic Architecture and really enjoyed the square and the buildings. The square is surrounded by many pubs and restaurants and of course chocolate shops. I just admired the views around and took a drink and a meal in one of the restaurants.

The small statue Font Sapientiae is very funny and sometimes clothes are put on the boy. The statue of a boy drinking beer and learning is unofficial symbol of the students in Leuven.

Leuven has a rich beer culture and The Old Market is called the longest bar in Europe. The square is very beautiful, surrounded by many old buildings and the atmosphere is just amazing. Here I found more bars, tables and chairs than pedestrians.  This is definitely the best place to taste many different beers and to feel the Flemish brewery tradition.

At the end of the day I also went to the marvelous Grote Begijnhof, really tranquil place with beautiful cobble streets, small houses and serene atmosphere. The well preserved historical quarter is a UNESCO site and is situated on the both parts of the river and has the appearance of a small town. The buildings cannot be visited but the atmosphere is very charming, a nice place to take a stroll and enjoy.

Brussels

Close to the main square is located the Cathedral St. Michael and St. Gudula. It is absolutely amazing cathedral outside and inside decorated by amazing stained glass windows. We really enjoy the pure silence in this historical church.

 

 

We  take a short break in the park in front of the cathedral and admired the fantastic views and the rich decorations of this truly beautiful architectural achievement.

 

In one of the corners of Gran Place is located one of the first glass galleries in Europe Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.

 

 

This nice and elegant area is a preferred tourist destination and the most impressive attractions here are the chocolate shops and luxury boutiques. This a perfect place for shopping after an exhausting sightseeing tour.

 

 

Very close to the city center is located another absolutely beautiful church, Notre Dame du Sablon. This is a nice piece of Gothic architecture, dating to the 15^th century. The decorations inside are also very beautiful with a lot of statues and colorful stained glasses.

 

Very close is also the Sablon square and Le Petit Jardin. We really like this beautiful garden especial with the view towards the Gothic church, just across the street. This lovely area is relaxing and displaying a discreet charm, a perfect place to walk through or take a break. The garden is surrounded by 48 statues representing ancient professors.This is definitely one of our favorite places in Brussels.

 

 

The fountain dominates the gardens and represents the two counts who symbolize the resistance against the Spanish rules.

 

We continue our tour around the main square and enjoyed the sunny day, the crowds and all kind of souvenirs including Belgian lace. Although Brussels has a lot to offer, we always prefer the taste the delicious Belgian wafels with chocolate. One of the streets with the most chocolate shops is located close to the famous Manneken Pis.

 

 

The small and tiny statue is so extraordinary. Here are gathering people from all nationalities.

 

Not to be missed is the Parc du Cinquantenaire, a district so worth to be visited. This is definitely a lovely place to take a break or just to look at the people.

 

 

The park is so huge and the views around impressive including the Triumph arch.

 

 

The "X"-shaped building Berlaymont on Schumann so impressive with its dimensions and its architecture. There are office buildings and expensive restaurants around.

 

 

Brussels is so amazing and offers many attractions or relaxing area like the river promenade.

 

 

Close to this area and the main station is located the financial center of Brussels, impressive with its modern buildings.

 

One of the must visit spots for us in Brussels is the Atomium, located in the outskirts of the city it is a good destination for a day trip.

 

 

The unique megastructure represents a little guided tour of science, revealed by many spheres showing a structure of an atom.

 

The buildings around are also amazing and they were built during the first world exhibition in Belgium in 1958. Nearby is also located the Mini Europe Park and the famous Heysel Stadium.

 

What enjoyable afternoon walking around this place and the surrounding area.

 

 

The exotic Chinese and Japanese Towers are located close to the Atomium and in a nice calm garden. They are also built in for the World Expo in 1958.

The Majestic Gran Place in Brussels

Brussels is such a wonderful city. The Belgian capital is an important centre for international politics and hosts a great number of European organizations. The city is one of the most important tourist destinations in Europe and can be easily explored by foot.

Our first stop in Brussels is the Gran Place, we walk around this magnificent square and admired each one of the majestic buildings. The square is UNESCO Herritage site and the colourful buildings with rich architecture are so impressive. 

The square is dominated by the elegant Gothic building of the Town Hall representing the power of the Duke of Brabant and its glory is demonstrated by the Saint Michael statue. 

The Guildhouses around are so beautiful every time we pass here we realize a detail we previously missed.

They represent the different art and craft guilds.To fully appreciate, you should see them from different corners. It is very difficult to find other buildings which are as amazing as these, especially when the main decorations are covered with gold. The effect is fantastic!

There are several superb restaurants around and some chocolate shops.

The atmosphere here is phantastic, this is the heart of Brussels and we come here again and again.

This is definitely the most beautiful central square in Europe. Here we find ourselves in the middle of magic.

There is always something to see and the gorgeous architecture of the buildings is just breathtaking.

Maison du Roi built from 1504 up to 1536 by the Duke of Brabant.

This square is one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is simply stunning.