Hotel de Ville (Town Hall), Brussels

Hotel de Ville (Town Hall), Brussels (must see)

The Brussels Town Hall鈥攑art municipal headquarters, part medieval masterpiece, and all-around showoff of the Grand Square. Built between 1401 and 1455, this beauty is the only medieval building still standing in the square. Rich in Brabantine Gothic flair, it was declared a protected monument in 1936 and added to UNESCO鈥檚 World Heritage Site list in 1998.

Despite its regal look, the building鈥檚 had its fair share of drama. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, the French heavily bombarded the city. The Town Hall took a hit: fire gutted the interior, torched the archives, and turned priceless artworks into ashes. And yet, like a true diva, it survived.

Its present-day form鈥攁 tidy quadrilateral wrapped around a central courtyard鈥攄ates from the 18th century, when two extra wings were slapped on the back. Then came the 19th century, when restorers went full "Gothic revival" mode and added nearly 300 statues, gargoyles, and fancy flourishes鈥攂ecause subtlety is not the style for this kind of property. Each ornament nods to Brussels鈥� proud guild traditions and colorful past.

Speaking of drama, notice that the tower isn鈥檛 centered? Legend says that the architect, Jan van Ruysbroek, was so distraught over the lopsided design that he threw himself off the tower. Dark... But let鈥檚 be real鈥攊t was probably just a classic case of medieval planning chaos.

Crowning the 96-meter tower is a golden spire topped with Saint Michael giving a devil the boot. The current statue is a 1990s replica, but the original goes back to 1455. Inside, it鈥檚 all chandeliers, frescoes, and enough historic rooms to make your head spin. Check out the Gothic Room, the Prince鈥檚 Gallery, the Mayor鈥檚 Cabinet, and the crown jewel鈥攖he States of Brabant Room, with a ceiling that deserves its own fan club.

Tip:
You can visit the inside, but only with a guided tour鈥攁round 45 minutes long and available in French, English, Dutch, or Spanish. Spots are limited and sell out fast, so grab your ticket early in the day. Tours run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Just don鈥檛 show up on January 1, May 1, November 1 or 11, or December 25鈥攂ecause even grand old Town Halls need a day off.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brussels. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Hotel de Ville (Town Hall)
Sight Location: Brussels, Belgium (See walking tours in Brussels)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Brussels, Belgium

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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Grand Place Walking Tour

The Grand Square in Brussels鈥攕teeped in history and overflowing with architectural charm鈥攊s the city鈥檚 star attraction. Here, the buildings are dressed fancier than most people at a wedding, and every cobblestone whispers, 鈥淚鈥檝e seen some stuff.鈥�

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.3 Km or 0.2 Miles

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