Page 224 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

222  FR ANCE AND THE L OW C OUNTRIES

The triumphal central archway and surrounding colonnades of the Parc du Cinquantenaire
9 European Parliament (the other two are in 0 Parc du
Parliament Quarter Strasbourg and Luxembourg). Cinquantenaire
This gleaming building has its
@ 12, 21, 22, 27, 34, 36, 54, 64, 79, 80. critics: the huge structure Avenue de Tervuren. @ 27, 28, 36, 80.
v 81, 82. q Schuman, Mérode.
q Maelbeek, Trône, Schuman. housing the hemicycle that
seats the 750-plus MEPs has Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire:
The vast, modern steel-and- been dubbed “Les Caprices Tel 02-741 7211. Open Tue–Sun.
Closed public hols. & =
glass complex located just des Dieux” (“Whims of the ∑ kmkg-mrah.be Musée Royal
behind the Quartier Léopold Gods”), which refers both to de l’Armée et d’Histoire Militaire:
train station is one of three the shape of the building, Tel 02-737 7811. Open Tue–Sun.
homes of the European similar to a French cheese Closed Jan 1, Dec 25. & 7
of the same ∑ klm-mra.be Autoworld: Tel
name, and 02-736 4165. Open 10am–6pm daily
to its lofty (5pm in winter). Closed Jan 1, Dec 25.
aspirations.
The Parc The finest of Léopold II’s grand
Léopold, projects, the Parc and Palais du
next to the Cinquantenaire were built for
Parliament, has the Golden Jubilee celebrations
some notable of Belgian independence in
Art Nouveau 1880. The park was laid out on
buildings and unused marshland. The palace,
is a delightful at its entrance, was to comprise
Brussels’s European Parliament building known as spot for a walk a triumphal arch, based on the
“Les Caprices des Dieux” or a picnic. Arc de Triomphe in Paris (see
Brussels and the European Union
In 1958, following the signing of the Treaty of Rome in the previous year, the European Economic
Community (EEC), now the European Union (EU), was born, and Brussels became its headquarters.
Today, the city remains home to most of the EU’s
institutions. The European Commission, the EU
body that formulates policies, is based in the vast
Berlaymont building. The city is also one of the
seats of the European Parliament, which currently
has 751 members, known as MEPs (Members of
the European Parliament). The most powerful
institution is the Council of Ministers, composed
of representatives of each member state. Each
nation has a certain number of votes, according
to its size. The Council must approve all legislation
for the EU, often a difficult task to accomplish
given that most Europe-wide legislation will
not be to the liking of every state. The signing of the Treaty of Rome, 1957

For hotels and restaurants see p234 and p235

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