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We all know Brussels, but have you heard of Belgium's Grand Place?
Updated: Jun 17
A UNESCO World Heritage site, this remarkable square dates back to the 17th century and is home to perhaps the most incredible collection of buildings in the world. Virtually unchanged for over 300 years the baroque and gothic architecture captured our imagination as we braved the rain to marvel at its unparalleled beauty.
After our engagement at Aphrodite's Rock in Cyprus we decided to go to Paris in France to celebrate, but true to our explorative nature we thought we would take a quick pit stop in Brussels first! Believe us when we say pictures will not do it justice, but we will try!
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Our Grand Place highlights
A real highlight of our trip was taking the Eurostar Train (with our car) to cross the channel from England to France. Leon had taken his car by ferry before but never by train! It is a seamless experience, you literally drive on and off and the whole trip takes about 30 minutes.
For those of you that do not know, Britain and Europe drive on opposite sides of the road. Definitely bear this in mind; once you are off of the train you have to adjust immediately. There is no practice area! It can be a little disorientating at first but it is pretty straight forward after that. Also remember that Europe works in kilometres and not miles.
Our love of architecture and history already had us full of excitement as we made our approach to the square. We got there fairly early and we were pleased to find that parking was free and relatively easy to find on the local side streets. We found a spot on Rue de l'Amigo, just behind the city museum. The only downside was the light rain which refused to go away! The street was full of character and we eagerly anticipated what was to come!
The square is completely free to visit but be prepared for a lot of people! We made it there at around 9.30am and even with the poor weather it was a hub of activity. This square receives hundreds of thousands of tourists every year and given its spectacular beauty and charm it is easy to see why.
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Grand Place: An architectural marvel
The square was constructed in the 14th century and has been upgraded several times from its original wooden buildings to the magnificent ones you see today. There are no places of worship; The Grand Place was purely a commercial and administrative area. It is home to many important operations, such as the stunning Town Hall and the King's House. Several key events are also held here every year, such as a Christmas Market, concerts and even a Flower Carpet Festival (which looks amazing by the way)!
While the medieval Town Hall and its Bell Tower is a huge focus of the square, as we walked around we were equally impressed with the incredible guild houses that line each side. These were merchant houses and are a key representation of the bustling trade this area enjoyed. They have been rebuilt several times due to fire and bombing from the World Wars and it is fair to say you could never tell. We were mesmerised by their intricacies, from the statues to the gold to the lead lined windows.
Considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, the square is well known for its opulent and flamboyant aesthetics that were made as a sign of wealth and power. It is a testament to the prosperity of Belgium and is seen a symbol of its recovery from its brutal war with France in 1695.
There is plenty to do here including the King's Place Museum where you can access the tower for better views, the Belgium Beer Museum and the House of the Belgian Master Chocolatiers. Given we were only here for a short while we went looking for a café and did not get the chance, but with more time we would have loved to have experienced more. Have you been to any of these places? Let us know in the comments!
Maison de La Brouette Restaurant & Café
One of our main priorities on this quick trip to Belgium was to try their world famous waffles. We settled on the Maison de La Brouette Restaurant & Café which looked pretty irresistible from the outside with its colorful umbrellas and gold gilded exterior.
The view from the restaurant was lovely and the coffee was great. Despite all of our anticipation we were ever so slightly disappointed with the waffle though. It was quite hard and crispy although we respect the fact that this might just be the way it should be. It was tasty but we would have preferred it to be just a tad less well done!
We would recommend checking this place out to get a really nice feel of Belgian culture and style. The café itself was beautifully decorated and we felt the culture and history of the place running through every exposed beam and hanging lantern. It is amazing to think of how many people had been there before us, sipping coffee and talking trade over a good breakfast of waffles and fruit!
Why is Belgium famous for waffles?
Waffles originated in Belgium and legend has it that they were created in the region of Wallonia by a cook of Prince-Bishop of Liège upon his request for a sugary treat. They became a staple of Belgian cuisine and there are over 12 regional varieties, including the Belgian waffle, renamed from the Brussels waffle by Maurice Vermersch on the worry that most people did not know where Brussels was!
We also passed by several other sites that are well worth a look, such as the Royal Palace of Brussels and the Saint Mary's Royal Church. The palace is a short walking distance from the square and the Church a 5 minute drive. We love impulsive exploring and it is so cool to discover things we were not expecting!
Feel free to let us know your thoughts on the Grand Place in the comments. Plus if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! We are always happy to help.
As always thanks for following along on our journey!
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