Page 82 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

80  BRUSSELS AREA B Y AREA

A 90-Minute Walk Around the Heart of Brussels

It is impossible to tire of the Grand Place, and there is no better Place St-Géry 7, some of the
place to start a walk that traces the history of the city. The route river can still be seen. Leave the
leads first to the island site where Brussels originated, and square by the Rue Pont de la
follows the watery landscape of the old, walled city before the Carpe (carp bridge) and turn left
at Rue Dansaert. 8
river and canals disap peared. The walk then passes the opera
house where Belgian independence was born (see p52), leads Place Ste-Catherine
on to the cathedral, and then to the grand Galeries Royales de The Rue du Vieux Marché
Saint-Hubert. Finally, it meanders through the Îlot Sacré, the aux Grains (old grain market)
web of medieval streets around the Grand Place. opens up into the Place Ste-
Catherine 9, with the Eglise
Ste-Catherine (see p57) 0 in its
midst. Walk to the right of the
church; at the far end, on the

MAX LAAN
e
R. D LAEKEN t PLACE DES
Ste-Cathérine BLVD. ADOLPHE RUE ST MICHEL R AUX CHOUX KOOLSTR.
St- Katelijne ST MICHIELSTRAAT i
u
MARTYRS
w LAEKENSESTRAAT y MARTELAARS
PLEIN
r
BAKSTEENKAAI
PL DE
QUAI AUX BRIQUES
PLACE BROUCKERE RUE NEUVE NIEUW STR.
The Grand Place, Brussels’ theatrical centrepiece STE-CATHERINE PLEIN
0 q RUE DE BISSCHOPS RUE D’ARGENT ZILVERSTR
Grand Place and Place St Géry chocolate-making. 9 RUE DU FOSSE AUX LOUPS WOLVENGRACHT
Start with a quick wander Leave the square on De Brouckère o
HALLENSTR.
around the Grand Place, to the Rue au Beurre RUE DES HALLES PLACE
DE LA
savour its magnificent gilded (butter), an appropriate RUE DE LA VIERGE NOIRE MONNAIE p
architecture (see pp46–7). The fact address for the DANSAERT STR. ZWARTE LIEVEVROUWSTR
that this was once the medieval Biscuiterie Dandoy 1 at
RUE ANTOINE
trading centre is recorded in the No. 31, famous for its 8 RUE DE L’ECUYER SCHILDKNAAPSSTR
names of the streets all around it: traditional, buttery biscuits. RUE DU MARCHE AUX POULETS
Rue des Harengs (herrings), Rue On the opposite side of the KIEKEN MARKT
Chair et Pain (meat and bread) road is the atmospheric Église BOULEVARD ANSPACH ANSPACHLAAN
Bourse
Beurs
and so on. At Nos. 9–11 Rue de St-Nicolas (see p51) 2, while RUE D’ARENBERG
la Tête d’Or is Choco-Story ahead lies the Neo- 5 R DU MIDI f a
ARENBERGSTR
Brussels, dedicated to educating Classical façade of the 6 3 ZUIDSTR 2 d s
visitors about the history and Stock Exchange, La 4 R D BOUC HERS BEENHOUWER STR
practice of traditional Belgian Bourse 3. Go left; facing 7
the Bourse on Rue Henri 1 R D MARCHE
B ERGSTRAAT
Maus is Falstaff 4, one of the GRAS-MARKT RUE DE LA MONTAGNE
Tips for Walkers few genuine Art Nouveau cafés GRAND
AUX HERBES
PLACE
Starting point: Grand Place in Brussels, dating from 1903. GROTE
Length: 3.25 km (2 miles) Ahead lies the Boulevard MARKT
Getting there: The nearest Anspach 5; this was once the
Metro stop is Gare Centrale; route of Brussels’ river, the Senne,
numerous buses also go to the which was canalized and
Bourse, and to De Brouckère/ covered over in around 1870.
Place de la Monnaie a short The Halles St-Géry (see p50) –
walk away. the old meat market on Place
Stopping off points: This area St-Géry 6 – is now the hub
is packed with places to eat and of a trendy area of the city; this
drink. The area around Place Ste- square was an island until the
Catherine is famous for its fish mid-19th century, and the site of
restaurants. Among the many one of Brussels’ earliest chapels.
attractive yet average estab-
lishments in the Îlot Sacré, Aux The River Senne still runs
Armes de Bruxelles stands out. beneath here; in the courtyard of 1 Traditional Belgian butter biscuits at
renovated apartments at No. 23 Biscuiterie Dandoy
080-081_EW_Brussels.indd 80 10/01/17 11:04 am