Architecture in Brussels

Affligem Abbey

Brussels

Affligem Abbey is one of the oldest and most significant Benedictine abbeys in Belgium. Founded in 1062, it was considered the most important monastery in the medieval Duchy of Brabant — earning it the title Primaria Brabantiae. The abbey was destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, most recently after the devastation of the French Revolution. Today the monks are best known for their abbey beer: Affligem beer has been brewed for over 900 years according to traditional recipes and is one of Belgium's most famous abbey beers. Visitors can explore the Romanesque monastic buildings, visit the abbey church, and purchase beer and other monastic products in the shop. A quiet, contemplative place away from the bustle of the city.

Antwerp Tower

Brussels

Antwerp Tower is an office and residential high-rise in the heart of Antwerp, originally built in 1974 as an office tower standing 87 metres tall. Following a major renovation in 2019–2021 in which two double-height floors were added, it now reaches 100.70 metres, making it the tallest residential building in the city. The building stands on De Keyserlei, the lively boulevard between the central station and the Meir shopping street – one of Europe's busiest city entrances. As a prominent element of the Antwerp skyline, the tower combines the austere post-war modernism of its original design with a contemporary mixed-use role.

Antwerp Zoo

Brussels

Arenberg Castle (Leuven)

Brussels

Arenberg Castle stands in Heverlee, a district of the Belgian university city of Leuven. The current building dates largely from the 16th century and is a fine example of Flemish Renaissance architecture: brick walls paired with sandstone window frames, two imposing corner towers bearing German eagles, with later additions in Late Gothic and Neo-Gothic styles. Today the castle belongs to KU Leuven and houses the Faculty of Engineering Science. The combination of a historic aristocratic seat and a living campus makes it an unusual destination.

Atomium

Brussels

The Atomium is Brussels' most recognisable landmark, built as the centrepiece of the 1958 World's Fair. Engineer André Waterkeyn's design represents an iron crystal unit cell magnified 165 billion times: nine spheres connected by tubes, rising 102 metres. Originally conceived as a temporary structure, it is now a protected monument. Visitors can enter the spheres, which house exhibition spaces, a children's area, and a restaurant with panoramic views across the city. It stands in the Laeken district near the Royal Greenhouses and the Atomium Park.

Averbode Abbey

Brussels

Averbode Abbey in the Flemish municipality of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem is one of Belgium's most significant Premonstratensian abbeys. Founded around 1134, it was suppressed during the French Revolution in 1797 and re-established in 1834. The abbey church is a striking synthesis of Baroque and Gothic with Renaissance ornamental details — built between 1664 and 1672 from local iron sandstone to designs by Antwerp architect Jan Van den Eynde II. During the 20th century, the abbey's press was one of Belgium's leading children's book publishers. The working monastery still welcomes visitors seeking quiet reflection today.

Beersel Castle

Brussels

Beersel Castle is one of Belgium's best-preserved medieval castles, located in the municipality of Beersel south of Brussels. Dating to 1300 under the Duchy of Brabant, the water castle features three large circular brick towers around a circular enceinte, an unusual choice of material for fortifications of that era. Sacked twice and restored in 1491 and 1617, the castle underwent a thorough 20th-century restoration between 1928 and 1939. It is open to visitors and remains a striking example of Flemish medieval military architecture.

Belfry of Ghent

Brussels

The Belfry of Ghent, at 91 metres, is the tallest belfry in Belgium and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the Belfries of Belgium and France. It stands in the heart of Ghent's old city centre, flanked by Saint Bavo's Cathedral and Saint Nicholas' Church — together forming the famous Ghent Three Towers, one of Belgium's most iconic skylines. Construction began in 1313 and continued over centuries; the dragon weathervane at its peak is a symbol of Ghent's civic freedoms. Inside, an exhibition tells the story of urban autonomy and the city's powerful guilds.

Belgian Comic Strip Center

Brussels

The Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels is the national museum for Belgian comics and a pilgrimage site for fans of Tintin, The Smurfs, and Lucky Luke. It is housed in an elegant 1906 Art Nouveau building designed by master architect Victor Horta — the hall alone is worth the visit. Since 1989, the museum has spread across multiple floors tracing the history of Belgian comics from their origins to the present day, with original artwork and rotating special exhibitions. Belgium is considered the birthplace of European comics, and this museum celebrates that with genuine enthusiasm.

Bourla Theatre

Brussels

The Bourla Theatre is a neoclassical theatre in central Antwerp, designed by city architect Pierre Bourla. Construction began in 1829 but was interrupted by the Belgian Revolution; the theatre finally opened in 1834 on the site of the former Tapissierspand tapestry market. With seating for around 900, it opened under French ownership as the Grand Théâtre before eventually becoming a Flemish institution. Today it is home to Het Toneelhuis, a major Flemish theatre company formed from the merger of two older ensembles, and is protected as Belgian cultural heritage.

Brabo Fountain

Brussels

The Brabo Fountain stands on the Grote Markt in Antwerp, directly in front of City Hall. The bronze sculpture was created in 1887 by Antwerp sculptor Jef Lambeaux and depicts Silvius Brabo at the moment he throws the severed hand of the giant Druon Antigoon into the river Scheldt — the legend to which the city's name is traced. Stylistically the work draws on elements of Italian Mannerism. Today the fountain is one of the most photographed spots in Antwerp and an unavoidable part of daily life on the Grote Markt.

Chapel Church Brussels

Brussels

The Chapel Church – formally Our Lady of the Chapel – is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Brussels. Its origins date to the early 13th century, with the Gothic nave added across the 14th and 15th centuries. The church stands in the heart of the Marolles, historically Brussels' poorest district and still its most characterful quarter, known for the flea market on Place du Jeu de Balle. That contrast – medieval Gothic architecture anchoring a working-class neighbourhood – gives the church significance beyond its religious function. In everyday speech it is more often called the Kapellekerk, after the Dutch name.

Château de Sombreffe

Brussels

The Château de Sombreffe is a lowland castle in the Belgian municipality of Sombreffe, Province of Namur, with history dating to the 13th century. Set in flat terrain south of Brussels, it differs from the rocky Ardennes castles — instead it speaks of feudal lordship over agricultural territory. The château is classified as a Patrimoine majeur de Wallonie. Sombreffe is also known as the site of a preliminary battle of the Waterloo campaign in June 1815. The castle itself is not generally open to the public but is visible as part of the Walloon cultural landscape.

Château de Trazegnies

Brussels

Château de Trazegnies is located in Trazegnies, part of the municipality of Courcelles in the Belgian province of Hainaut in Wallonia. It is one of the historic noble seats of the region and is listed as a Walloon cultural monument. The castle's history is closely tied to the House of Trazegnies, one of Belgium's oldest noble families. The current structure bears features from multiple architectural periods. As part of Wallonia's built heritage, it contributes to the historical character of the Hainaut region.

Château d'Havré

Brussels

Château d'Havré is a ruined castle in the village of Havré, part of the city of Mons in the Walloon province of Hainaut, Belgium. Dating from 1226, it passed through the hands of noble families including Enghien, Harcourt, and Croÿ, and was repeatedly besieged, damaged, and rebuilt. Most of its surviving fabric dates from the 14th to 17th centuries; the current form emerged from extensive reconstruction in the late 16th century. Listed as a protected monument since 1936, both the buildings and the castle garden are open to visitors.

Château du Stuyvenberg

Brussels

The Château du Stuyvenberg is a Baroque estate in Laeken, northwest of Brussels, built in 1725. It came into Belgian state ownership in 1840 for 200,000 francs and has since served as a secondary residence for the royal family, used for diplomatic receptions and private stays. The château sits close to the Royal Palace of Laeken and the Villa Schönenberg, home of Princess Astrid — together forming a royal enclave at the northern edge of the capital. The property is not open to the public; its gardens and façades can only be glimpsed from the surrounding parkland.

Church of St. John Berchmans

Brussels

The Church of St. John Berchmans in Etterbeek, a municipality of Brussels, is the chapel of Saint Michel College and has belonged to the Society of Jesus since its construction between 1908 and 1912. It is dedicated to Saint John Berchmans, a 17th-century Belgian Jesuit saint. The building was designed in the Neo-Romanesque style and integrates quietly into the college grounds. Its restrained facade draws little attention — characteristic of Jesuit school architecture, which typically prioritizes function over display. Today the church is actively integrated into the daily life of Saint Michel College and is accessible to visitors outside school hours. Etterbeek is a well-connected Brussels municipality with several European institutions nearby.

Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude de Nivelles

Brussels

The Collegiate Church of Sainte-Gertrude in Nivelles is one of the most significant Romanesque churches in Belgium. Construction began shortly after the year 1000 — possibly from 1020 as a replacement for an earlier structure — and the church was consecrated in 1046. It is listed as a Walloon heritage monument and one of the defining landmarks of the Brabant Wallon region. The church is dedicated to Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, patron saint of cats and travellers. Her tomb inside the church made Nivelles a pilgrimage destination for centuries. The building was badly damaged in the Second World War and painstakingly restored. Today the collegiate church is the focal point of Nivelles town centre, easily reachable from Brussels.

Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido

Brussels

The Collegiate Church of Saints Peter and Guido is a Roman Catholic church in the historic centre of Anderlecht, a municipality southwest of Brussels. Built in the Brabantine Gothic style in the 14th century, it was originally the seat of a college of canons who celebrated its liturgy. The church is co-dedicated to Saint Guido of Anderlecht, an 11th-century saint venerated for his poverty and pilgrimages, and the patron saint of the municipality. Located directly above the Saint-Guidon metro station, it functions as the main parish church of Anderlecht.

Geeraard de Duivelsteen

Brussels

The Geeraard de Duivelsteen — literally "Gerard's Devil's Stone" — is a medieval fortress complex in the heart of Ghent and one of the oldest surviving secular stone buildings in Belgium. Its oldest section, built of large sandstone blocks, dates from the early 13th century and was constructed for Geeraard Vilain, a local knight nicknamed "de Duivel" (the Devil) on account of his dark complexion. Over the centuries the multi-wing complex served as a monastery, asylum, barracks, and prison. Today it houses the State Archive of the city of Ghent. Seen from the street, the massive facade with its tall lancet windows offers a striking and unexpected window into Ghent's deeper history.

Het Steen (Burg Steen)

Brussels

Het Steen — the Stone or the Castle — is Antwerp's oldest surviving building, standing directly on the right bank of the Scheldt. The fortification was built between 1200 and 1225 as the gateway to a larger ducal castle; the rest was demolished in the 19th century, but Het Steen survived. Over the centuries it served as a prison, then a museum. The restored structure draws visitors who want to feel the oldest layer of Antwerp along the river.

Het Zinneke

Brussels

Het Zinneke is a bronze sculpture installed in 1999 in central Brussels, depicting a dog urinating against a street bollard. Created by sculptor Tom Frantzen, it was conceived as a deliberate companion to the world-famous Manneken Pis fountain figure (1619) and its female counterpart Jeanneke Pis (1985) — together forming a folk trilogy of Brussels humour. The word "Zinneke" is a mildly derogatory Brussels dialect term for a scruffy mongrel dog and symbolises the city's mixed, multilingual identity. The sculpture stands at the corner of Rue des Chartreux and Rue du Vieux-Marché aux Grains, and serves as a small, charming monument to the typical Belgian "zwanze" — the self-deprecating folk humour of the Bruxellois.

Meunier Museum

Brussels

The Meunier Museum in Ixelles, Brussels, is dedicated to the Belgian sculptor and painter Constantin Meunier (1831–1905), a leading figure of social realism. Housed in Meunier's former private studio, it shows a cross-section of his work: sculptures and paintings depicting workers, miners and dock labourers of 19th-century industrial society with dignity and empathy. Part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, it is one of the most atmospheric artist's house museums in the country.

M HKA – Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp

Brussels

M HKA is Antwerp museum of contemporary art and, since its founding in 1985, one of the most important venues for current art in Belgium. The museum is housed in an imposing former grain silo in Antwerp harbour — a successful example of industrial repurposing. The collection includes significant Belgian and international contemporary art positions. The museum sees itself as an open platform for experiment and discourse. Its location in the evolving harbour district gives visits a distinctive urban atmosphere.

M – Museum Leuven

Brussels

M – Museum Leuven is the city museum of the Belgian university city of Leuven and spans several floors tracing the art of the Brabant region from the Middle Ages to the present. The collection comprises around 46,000 works: from late-Gothic panel paintings and sculptures to 16th-century Flemish masters such as Jan Rombouts the Elder, through to 19th-century works by Constantin Meunier and Jef Lambeaux. The modern museum opened in 2009 and is tightly woven into Leuven historic city centre. Regular temporary exhibitions complement the permanent collection.

Oostakker Basilica

Brussels

Saint Mary's Royal Church Brussels

Brussels

Saint Mary's Royal Church stands on Place de la Reine in Schaerbeek, a municipality of Brussels, and is associated with Louise-Marie, the first Queen of the Belgians. The title Royal comes from this connection – both the square and the church were named in her honour. The building is Neo-Gothic and dates to the 19th century; its prominent tower is visible from much of Schaerbeek. Today Schaerbeek is one of Brussels' most ethnically diverse municipalities, which gives the church an interesting historical tension: a royal memorial church at the centre of one of Belgium's most changed urban communities.

Warandepark (Brussels Park)

Brussels

The Warandepark, also known as the Royal Park of Brussels, is at 13 ha the largest urban park in the centre of the Belgian capital. It was laid out between 1776 and 1783 in a neoclassical style – designed by French architect Gilles-Barnabé Guimard together with Austrian landscape gardener Joachim Zinner. The park formed the centrepiece of an ambitious urban project by the Austrian Habsburgs, which also included the Place Royale. Today royal palaces and the Belgian Parliament surround the rectangular grounds, which were the city's first public park.

Bouchout Castle

Brussels

Oorlogsmuseum

Brussels