Brussels is a strange place. Strange in a good way. Strange that so few people consider this beautiful city a tourist gem.
As an Australian, I believe that most Australians see Brussels as one thing; a stopover on the way to Bruges.
I have done that trip. The Grand Place – spectactular, but not as big as it looks on photos – and Mannekin Pis.
It was my perception that that was all there was in Brussels – and the Atomium.
But now living here, I see spectacular sights every single day. Incredible detail on ordinary buildings down every single street I walk. For example, art nouveau details on random buildings, and apartments with stained glass windows.
In Schaerbeek there is the Église Royale Sainte-Marie. (Saint Mary’s Church) This is a building that is a landmark from anywhere it can be seen; it dominates the landscape.
My partner and I had seen it from a distance many times but had not got round to really having a good look. Thanks to an errant driver causing a car accident, we found ourselves unable to take the tram into the city centre one Sunday, so walking into the city was our option. The route we took meant that we passed the church.
Belgian architecture is always breathtaking for its level of detail. The outside of the building is stunning. Lots of intricate carving, buttresses, sculpture in the columns, and grand doors and doorways.
We were going “wow!” as we walked around the building’s exterior. We were trying to take in every single detail while knowing from experience there is simply too much detail to take it all in at once. Then we went inside.
Once again, “wow!” The interior is even more impressive than the exterior. It’s hard to do it justice in a description. The grandeur of the high domed ceiling, the stained glass windows, the friezes on the walls. And carvings. Carvings everywhere you look. In the recesses. On the sides of the pulpits. All over the place.
It may seem a little bit out of the way but is easy to get to if you are in central Brussels. The 92 or 93 tram goes straight there from Place Royale or Parc de Bruxelles, both of which are no more than a couple of hundred metres from Grand Place, and also places you will want to check out as well.
Sadly it is in a state of some disrepair. Such a shame. It broke my heart to see a building that clearly would be even more magnificent in all its glory with cracks in walls and friezes painted over in white rather than lovingly restored.
A single trip tram ticket will cost you 2.10 Euros. From Place Royale it’s about 4 or 5 stops. About 10 minutes.
If you find yourself in Brussels and are wondering what to see when you have seen Mannekin Pis and been underwhelmed, this is a highly recommended must-see.
