Brussels Explored: Seven Walks through the Historic City (Pallas for Pleasure Guides)

by Derek Blyth

Overview

For all its importance historically and politically, not to mention gastronomically, Brussels remains one of the least known cities in Europe. Yet it has some of the most visually arresting sights anywhere on the continent. Derek Blyth has lived in Brussels for many years, and he guides the visitor to its secret and surprising places as well as to its spectacular monuments and museums. Several city walks, illustrated with photos and art, explore the center of Brussels, while further chapters take the reader to the forests and villages on the city’s outskirts. Detailed traveler’s information includes a connoisseur’s guide to restaurants, some of the finest in Europe, as well as extensive reviews of hotels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781873429143
Publisher:	Pallas Athene (UK)
Publication date:	08/28/2003
Series:	Pallas for Pleasure
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 7.10(h) x 1.06(d)

Table of Contents

	Introduction	17
I.	First impressions	18
II.	A brief history	22
III.	The buildings of Brussels	42
Walk 1	Grand'Place and its Neighbourhood	49
I.	Grand'Place	52
II.	The Hotel de Ville	55
III.	The Guild Houses	59
IV.	The Maison du Roi	68
V.	The Manneken Pis	77
VI.	The Hot Sacre	82
Walk 2	The Lower Town	85
I.	The Metropole Hotel	87
I.	The Cathedrale Saint Michel et Sainte Gudule	93
III.	The Saint Gery district	100
IV	The Sainte Catherine district	104
Walk 3	The Museum Quarter	111
I.	The Galeries Saint Hubert	113
II.	The Musee d'Art Ancien	127
III.	The Musee d'Art Moderne	150
Walk 4	The Sablon	165
I.	The Parc d'Egmont	167
II.	The Place du Petit Sablon	170
III.	The Eglise du Sablon	174
Walk 5	The Marolles	179
I.	The Eglise de la Chapelle	184
II.	Place du Jeu de Balle	187
III.	The Palais du Justice	187
Walk 6	Charlotte Bronte and the royal quarter	191
I.	Place Royale	194
II.	The Parc de Bruxelles	206
III.	The government quarter	209
Walk 7	The Cinquantenaire Museums and the European Quarter	215
I.	The Leopold Quarter	217
II.	The Squares	223
III.	The Parc du Cinquantenaire	228
IV.	The Musee de l'Armee	232
V.	The Musee du Cinquantenaire	239
Walk 8	The Origins of Art Nouveau	247
I.	The Horta House	250
II.	The Trinite district	256
III.	The Chatelain district	257
IV.	The Tenbosch district	261
Walk 9	The Ixelles Ponds and the Abbaye de la Cambre	263
I.	Avenue Louise	266
II.	The Ixelles Ponds	267
III.	The Abbaye de la Cambre	23
IV.	The Bois de la Cambre	276
Walk 10	Saint Gilles	279
I.	The Porte de Hal	281
II.	The Hotel de Ville	287
III.	The St Gilles Prison	289
IV.	The Hotel Hannon	291
Walk 11	Uccle	295
I.	Avenue Brugmann	27
II.	Dieweg Cemetery	300
Walk 12	Waterloo	305
I.	The Wellington Museum	311
II.	A walk across the battlefield	316
III.	The Lion Mound	319
Walk 13	Tervuren and the Africa Museum	323
I.	The Congo Pavilion	328
II.	The Africa Museum	330
III.	Tervuren town	334
IV.	Tervuren Park	335
	Brussels Explored Further	337
I.	Small Museums	339
II.	Laeken	342
III.	The Erasmus House	347
IV.	Saint Boniface district	351
V.	Art in the Metro	352
V.	Forest walks	353
	Cemeteries Explored	357
I.	Laeken Cemetery	359
II.	Brussels Cemetery	363
III.	Ixelles Cemetery	367
IV.	The Enclos des Fusilles	370
	Appendices	373
A.	Brussels for Children	374
B.	Tourist Information	377
C.	Opening Times of Museums and Churches	379
D.	Choosing a Hotel	382
D.	Food and Beer of Brussels	386
E.	Entertainments	394
G.	Books on Brussels and Waterloo	397
	Acknowledgments	401
	List of illustrations	402
	Index	405