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Great Cities of Europe
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Great Cities of Europe - Disc 1.iso
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brussels.txt
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1995-12-05
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<B><F16>Brussels</F> </B>
<L7><B><F14>Basic Information </F></B>
<B>Documents Required: </B>United States citizens need a passport. Drivers must be able
to show a national driver's license and a vehicle registration certificate.
<B>American Consulate:</B> 27 Boulevard du Regent, 02/ 513-38-30.
<B>Currency: </B>The Belgian franc (BF, also seen as FB or simply F) is the basic unit.
Belgium and Luxembourg have a monetary union, and coins and bank notes are
interchangeable. Major credit cards are accepted throughout Brussels.
<B>Banks: </B>Most banks are open 9A.M.- 4P.M. Monday to Friday.
<B>Customs:</B> Duty-free limits for visitors entering Belgium from the United States:
two liters of table wine and one liter of spirits, or two liters of sparkling wine, 200
cigarettes or 250 grams of rolling tobacco, and 50 grams of perfume. There are no
restrictions on what may be taken out of the country.
<B>Climate:</B> The best times to visit Brussels are in the spring (April and May) when
temperatures hover around 60F and in autumn (September and October). The
weather is variable throughout the year, but rain is consistent across all seasons.
<B>Tipping:</B> In restaurants and hotels, tax and service are included in the bill. Tips
are not normally left except to indicate particular satisfaction.
<B>Tourist Information: </B>The Office Belge du Tourisme is at 61 Rue du Marche aux
Herbes, B-1000, Bruxelles; 02/ 512-3030.
<B>Getting There:</B>
<I>By air:</I> Zaventem Airport, 02/ 722-111, is nine miles northeast of the city.
Belgium's national airline, Sabena, and other major carriers land here.
<I>By train:</I> Belgian railways has a TGV terminal at the Gare du Midi. There is direct
train service to Brussels from Amsterdam, Cologne and Paris.
<I>By sea:</I> The main sea route from the U.K. is the Dover to Oostende crossing, run
by P&O Ferries (reservations in UK 1-71/ 233-6480 ). The crossing takes 4 hours.
<B>Getting Around:</B> Brussels has an integrated system of metros, trams, and buses run
by the public transport authority, <I>Stib</I>. All <I>Stib</I> buses and trams are painted blue and
yellow. Most routes operate between 5.30A.M. and midnight; schedules are
sporadic after 6P.M. and on weekends. A one-way ticket (<I>carte α un voyage</I>) can
be bought in metro stations, and from the bus or tram driver. The ticket is valid on
all public transport for one hour. A cheaper option is to buy a 10-journey ticket.
Or , buy a <I>carte 24 heures</I>, which<I> </I> gives unlimited travel on the public transport
network for one day.
<I>By metro:</I> Fast, clean, and safe trains. They provide rapid access to many of the
outer suburbs.
<I>By tram:</I> Slower than the metros, but you can sight-see while you travel.. The most
spectacular tram ride is on #44, which runs through a forest to Tervuren, a suburb.
<I>By bus:</I> Convenient for reaching suburbs, and provide faster links than trams.
<I>By taxi:</I> Hailed at taxi stands in the city center or ordered by telephone. All taxis
have meters; the fare includes taxes and tips, but it is customary to give the driver
an extra 5 percent.
<I>By train:</I> The rail network in Belgium ranges from efficient to out-dated. The
fastest trains are <I>ICs</I>, which link major international cities.
<B>Postal and Telephone Service: </B> Mailboxes and post offices are located
throughout the city, as are public phones. To call Belgium from the United States,
dial 011-32, then the city code (Brussels is 2) and local number. From Brussels,
dial 00-1, then the area code and local number to reach the United States.
<B>Public Holidays:</B> January 1, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, Labor Day (May 1),
Ascension (sixth Thursday after Easter), Whit Sunday (seventh Sunday after
Easter), Whit Monday, Fete Nationale (July 21), Assumption (August 15), All
Saints' Day (November 1), Armistice (November 11), Christmas Day.
<B>Electric Current: </B>
The electric current is 220V. Sockets are the mainland Europe two-prong type.
<B>TIME LINE </B>
<B>Beginnings of the City </B>
<I>966 </I>
First mention of Brussels in an official document.
<I>977 </I>
Settlement falls to the dukes of Lower Lotharingia.
<I>1041 </I>
Royal residence moved to Coudenberg (now in the Netherlands).
<I>1200-1300 </I>
First fortified wall built, and merchants establish a marketplace.
<I>1312 </I>
Power of the bourgeoisie confirmed by the Charter of Cortenberg.
<B>Growth of the City </B>
<I>1402 </I>
Work starts on the Hotel de Ville.
<I>1531 </I>
Netherlands' seat of government transferred to Brussels.
<I>1695 </I>
War of the Grand Alliance. The city is bombarded by France for 36 hours.
<I>1713 </I>
Treaty of Utrecht ends the War of Spanish Succession and Belgium is awarded to
the Hapsburgs.
<I>1815 </I>
The Battle of Waterloo.
<I>1830 </I>
Belgium revolts against the Dutch and gains independence.
<I>1880 </I>
Jubilee Exhibition.
<B>World Wars</B>
<I>1914 </I>
Germany enters the city on August 20. Brussels citizens resist the invasion, and
many are killed.
<I>1940-1944 </I>
Brussels is occupied by Germany.
<B>Post-War Years</B>
<I>1958 </I>
World Fair held in Brussels.
<I>1959 </I>
Brussels becomes the headquarters of the EEC.
<I>1967 </I>
NATO is based in the city.
</L7>
<L6><B><F14>Hotels</F> </B>
<B>Metropole $$$ </B>
31 Place de Brouckere
02/ 218-0220
A grand 19th-century hotel.
<B>SAS Royal $$$</B>
47 Rue du Fosse-aux-Loups
02/ 219-2828
One of the best business hotels in the city.
<B>Manos Stephanie</B> <B>$$</B>
28 Chaussee de Charleroi
02/ 539-0250
An intimate hotel furnished with antiques.
<B>New Siru $$</B>
1 Place Rogier
02/ 217-7580
Art Deco building from the 1930's.
<B>Arlequin $</B>
16 Petite rue des Bouchers
02/ 514-1615
An unpretentious find in the heart of the old town.
<B>La Madeleine $</B>
20-22 Rue de la Montagne
02/ 513-2973
Inexpensive and friendly.
<B><F14>Restaurants </F></B>
<B>Comme Chez Soi $$$</B>
23 Place Rouppe
02/ 512-2921
Classic French, worth the price and the wait.
<B>Maison Du Cygne $$$</B>
9 Grand-Place
02/ 511-8244
Traditional food in one of Europe's most beautiful squares.
<B>Brasserie De La Roue D'or $$</B>
26 Rue des Chapeliers
02/ 514-2554
Perhaps the best bistro in Brussels.
<B>Jaques $ </B>
44 Quai aux Briques
02/ 513-2762
Seafood. Expect crowds and communal bench seating.
<B>Au Vieux Bruxelles $</B>
35 Rue St-Boniface
02/ 513-0181
Known for its mussels.
</L6>
<L1><B><F14>Sites</F> </B>
<B>Hotel de Ville </B>
Grand-Place
One of the grandest buildings in Brussels. City Council still meets here.
<B>Manneken-Pis</B>
Rue de l'Etuve
Since 1620, visitors to this nude statue have left articles of clothing to cover him.
<B>St. Michel</B>
Rue de la Montagne
Gothic cathedral that is the national church.
</L6>
<L2><B><F14>Museums And Culture</F> </B>
Museums in Brussels are generally open Tuesday to Sunday 10A.M.-5P.M. Some
museums close for one hour at lunch.
<B>Autoworld Automobile Museum</B>
Palais du Cinquantenaire
For the veteran car enthusiast.
<B>Musee Royal d'Art et d'Histoire</B>
Palais du Cinquantenaire
Archeology and art from the ancient to the modern.
<B>Musees Royaux des Beaux Arts </B>
Mont des Arts
Art of all periods.
<B>Musee d'Art Moderne</B>
Place Royal
Mostly Belgian art in subterranean galleries.
<B>Music</B>
<B>Theatre Du Residence Palais</B>
155 Rue de la Loi
02/ 231-0305
Concerts and theatrical productions in a lavish theater.
<B>Theatre Royal De La Monnaie</B>
Place de la Monnaie
02/ 218-1211
The main venue for opera and classical music.
</L2>
<L5><B><F14>Shopping</F></B>
Visitors are exempt from paying the 19.5 percent tax (VAT) on purchases above a
certain amount (determined by each store), on completion of a simple form and
presentation of a passport at the time of purchase. To validate the refund, which
will be sent to your home address, you must present the paperwork and goods at
customs.
<B>Leather goods </B>
Delvaux
31 Galerie de la Reine
<B>Antiques</B>
Many of the small antique stores, along with galleries specializing in modern and
African art, are clustered around place du Grand Sablon.
The Hotel des Ventes
39 Place du Grand Sablon
02/ 512-9736
Frequent evening auctions.
<B>Fine art</B>
Galleries are clustered in two main areas: around the Sablon and where Avenue
Louise meets Chaussee de Charleroi.
<B>Chocolate</B>
Mary
73 Rue Royale
The best chocolatier and supplier of hand-made pralines to the royal court.
<B>Markets </B>
Brussels features more than 100 regular street markets.
<B>Place du Chatelain</B>
The most fashionable market in town.
<B>Place du Jeu de Balle</B> (Flea market)
Every day in the heart of the Marolles district.
</L5>
<L3><B><F14>Children</F></B>
<B>Maison Picard</B>
71-75 Rue du Lombard
An exhaustive array of toys, clothes, and costumes.
<B>Musee des Enfants</B>
15 Rue du Bourgmestre
02/ 640-0107
Hands-on exhibits.
<B>Musee du Jouet</B>
24 Rue de l'Association
02/ 219-6168
Toys ranging from teddy bears to puppet theaters.
<B>Le Perruchet in Ixelles</B>
50 Avenue de la Foret
02/ 673-8730
Traditional puppet performances.
<B>Zoo </B>(in Antwerp)
26 Koningin Astridplein
03/ 231-1640
Only 30 minutes away by train and alongside the railway station.
<B><F14>Night Spots</F></B>
<B>Music </B>
<B>Travers</B>
11 Rue Traversiere
Monday night jam sessions are free.
<B>Preservation Hall</B>
3 Rue de Londres
New Orleans-style jazz.
<B>Forest National</B>
36 Avenue du Globe
02/ 347-0355
The biggest venue in Brussels.
<B>Ancienne Belgique </B>
14 Rue des Pierres
02/ 512-5986
Always packed.
<B>Clubs </B>
<B>Le Machado</B>
14 Rue des Chapeliers
Latin flavor.
<B>Mirano Continental</B>
38 Chaussee de Louvain
Brussels's young and beautiful.
<B>Vaudeville</B>
15 Galerie de la Reine
An old theater in the Galeries Saint-Hubert.
<B>Cabarets</B>
<I>Brussels has a number of late-night cabarets in the tradition of Paris's Moulin Rouge.
</I>
<B>Must</B>
10 Rue du Cirque
Nightly from 11P.M.
<B>Play-Night </B>
13 Rue Jean Stas
Feather-clad features, nightly except Sunday.
</L3>
<L4><B><F14>Excursions </F></B>
<B>Waterloo </B>
The Battle of Waterloo was fought just 12 miles south of Brussels. Explore the
town and battlefield. English guides available from the <I>Musee Wellington </I>in the
center of town.
<B>Tervuren </B>
Two distinctive museums are located in this Brussels suburb, less than eight miles
from the city center. The <I>Musee du Transport Urbain Bruxellois</I> chronicles the
history of public transport in the city. Nearby, the <I>Musee Royal de l'Afrique
Centrale's</I> scope covers the whole of Africa, from geology to ethnography.
</L4>
(c) 1995 Leisure and Travel