BeNeLux - Luxembourg to Brussels

The lower old town. We take a walk along the large balcony of the fortress.



The Gëlle Fra monument commemorates those who volunteered for service in the armed forces of the Allies World War I.

The Golden Lady on Constitution Square was set up in 1923 to commemorate the Luxembourgers who perished in the First World War. The memorial represents a gold-plated female figure on a stone obelisk.On 20th October 1940 the Nazis pulled the monument down; only in 1984 did extensive restoration give it back its original appearance.Today it symbolizes freedom and resistance for the Luxembourg people.



The Equestrian Statue of William II at William Square.

This bronze statue was set up on William Square to pay tribute to the King and Grand Duke William II of Nassau-Orange. He ruled from 1840 to 1849 and, one year before his death, granted the Grand Duchy its first parliamentary constitution, one of the most liberal in Europe at the time. The riding figure of William II is the work of the French sculptor Antonin Mercié; the statue of the horse is by Victor Peter.

Nok with the cobble road.

A with the Magnolia bloom.

Cathedral Notre Dame

Natural Museum of Natural History. However we don’t have enough time to explore the museum.

This modern family museum highlights "Man", since human development and impact on nature are illustrated in various rooms dedicated to evolution, ecology and world history.

A long walk back to the hostel before we drive to the new town section.

Philharmonie Luxembourg
Designed by French architect Christian de Portzamparc, the Philharmonie (Salle de Concerts Grande-Duchesse Joséphine- Charlotte) is the new landmark of the Place de l’Europe.
1, Place de l`EuropeL-1499 Luxembourg
Tél.: 352 26 32 26 32
Fax: 352 20 02 27-900

MUDAM-Museum of Modern Art Grand-Duc Jean
3, Park Dräi Eechelen
L-1499 Luxembourg
Tél. : 352 45 37 85-622,
Fax : 352 45 37 85-400
Open:
Wednesday - Friday: 11am - 8pm
Saturday - Monday: 11am - 6pm
Closed on Tuesday.

Famous architect I.M. Pei chose the historic site of the Fort Thüngen for the construction of the Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (Mudam). Mudam, located on the Kirchberg-Plateau, between the Place de l'Europe and the Old Town of Luxembourg, invites the public to an exploration of contemporary art.

Then we drive to Brussels, where we stay at Citadines Apartment and Hotel.

Our room at the Citadines.

Brussels
is the de facto capital of Belgium and of the European Union (EU). The city is the bilingual capital of Belgium. This means that both French and Dutch are the official languages of the city.

Another alternatives for touring the city.

Exploring Brussels in the evening, we decide to visit the very famous but small statue, Manneken Pis. The statue is seen as a symbol of French and Dutch cohabitation in Brussels.
A bronze fountain of a small peeing boy is a famous tourist attraction and symbol of the city.

Nobody actually knows why the manneken is there. He is believed to be nothing more than a decoration on top of a fountain, where people in the Middle-Ages came to get fresh water. Already in the 15th century a fountain called 'manneken-pis' existed in the Stoofstraat/Rue de l'étuve. The official origin can be traced back to the 13th of August 1619 when the city ordered the sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a new bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace an old and withered one. During the course of the centuries our little manneken has often been hidden to protect him against bombs of invading armies. He has also been stolen several times by plundering soldiers and even by the citizens of Geraardsbergen, a city in Flanders that claims to possess the oldest statue of a peeing boy in Belgium.

The Brussels Stock Exchange

Rreal Belgium Waffle is very yummy.

Brussels is known for its local waffle, its chocolate, its French Fries and its numerous types of beers. The Belgian waffle is a type of waffle identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares. In Belgium, there are a number of different types of waffle, including the Brussels waffle, the Liege waffle and the stroopwafel; what is known in North America as the "Belgian waffle" is most similar to the Brussels waffle. As opposed to a traditional waffle, the Belgian waffle attributes its height to the use of yeast batter instead of a pancake batter. They are often eaten as a breakfast food. In North America, they are usually served with butter and maple syrup or with vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit (such as strawberries) as a dessert.

At Grand'Place (Grote Markt) square. This historic market square with its splendid guild houses and the impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall, is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe.

The St. Hubert Gallery

The St. Hubert gallery is a fine example of a typical kind of building of the 19th century: the covered shopping gallery. Between 1820 and 1880 seven of these galleries were built in Brussels. Three of these have survived: the St. Hubert gallery, the Bortier gallery and the Northern Passage. These galleries had a double function: the ground-level was almost always occupied by shops, whereas the upper section (first and second floors) were reserved for apartments and habitation.
After the Belgian independence in 1830 a plan was made to embellish Brussels. In 1839 it was decided that the city should receive a new gallery which would be more beautiful than the one build in the Belgian city of Liège in 1837. The new gallery was to be implanted in the St. Hubert street, close to the Grand-Place. The architect was Jean-Pierre CLUYSENAAR. Noteworthy is, that the architect Cluysenaar has reached the pinnacle of gallery building with this beautiful example in the city center of Brussels. It was also the first time that a roof construction with glass and metal with these dimensions was built in Belgium.

A delightful decoration of the Champagne bar.