Page 85 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

T WO GUIDED W ALKS  83

site of royal palaces since
medieval times. The present
royal palace is just around the
corner (see pp62–3), and is
directly connected to the Eglise
St-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg (see
pp62–3) o. On the opposite
side of the square is the Musée
des Instruments de Musique
(see pp64–5) p, which offers
spectacular views from the
rooftop terrace. Leave the Place
Royale by the cobbled Rue
i The Musées Royaux de Beaux-Arts de Belgique du Musée, which leads to the
Palais de Charles de Lorraine
demolished in
(see p65) a. The Protestant
BERLAIMONT LAAN PLACE SAINTE-GUDULE 1965. The sloping Chapelle Royale s, to the right,
BLVD. DE
triangular space
was where King Léopold I
SINTER-GUDULEPLEIN
worshipped. At the top of Rue
nearby is the
RUE D’ARENBERG
ARENBERGSTR
R UE DE LA MONTAGNE LOKSUMSTRAAT j Sablon (see p72) q. Ravenstein is the 15th-century
Place du Grand
Hôtel Ravenstein (see p64) d.
RUE DES BOUCHERS
BERGSTRAAT
BEENHOU WER STR.
The fountain of
You can see the spire of the
R D U MARCHE
Minerva w, in the
AUX HERBES
KOLONIENSTRAAT
GRAS-MARKT
GRAND PLACE k BD DE L’IMPERATRICE R DU CARD. MERCIER RUE DES COLONIES was erected in 1751 Hôtel de Ville (in the Grand
middle of the square,
Place) over the gardens on the
GROTE MARKT
RUE DU MIDI ZUIDSTRAAT RUE DE LOMBARD STRAAT 2 R DES EPERONNIERS MAGDALENASTEENWEG R DES PUTTERIE KEIZERINLAAN KARD. MERCIERSTR Sablon still retains an upmarket The modern building to the
RUE DE LOXUM
Mont des Arts to the northeast.
with funds from Thomas
RUE DES CHAPS
1
Bruce, an exiled friend of
left of the gardens is the
PUTTERIJ
3
King James II of England. The
Bibliothèque Royale Albert I
SPOORMAKERSSTR
R D MAR D FROM
R DE L’ETUVE STOOF STR.
f, the national library. Walk
Gare Centrale
Centraal Station
4
air, and it is home to Wittamer
through the gardens to the
5
RAVENSTEINSTRAAT
(r. 1909–34) g, the “Soldier King”
celebrated chocolate
RUE DE LA MADELEINE
PLACE ST JEAN
makers (shop at
revered for leading Belgian
ST JANSPLEIN RUE ST JEAN g h STUIVERSSTRAAT e, one of Brussels’ most equestrian statue of Albert I
No. 6; café and
RUE DES SOLS
ST JANSSTR. MONT DES ARTS RUE RAVENSTEIN pâtisserie at No. 12). troops in World War I. The arch
at the lower end of the street
KEIZERSLAAN f p Quotidien r, famed facing up the hill that includes
R DE L’HOPITAL
At Rue des Sablons 11
GASTHUISSTR.
carillon clock h on the side
a
6 TRAPSTRAAT BLVD. DE L’EMPEREUR KUNSTBERG s d is a branch of Le Pain called Mont des Arts has a
for its bread and
figures from Belgian history that
RUE DES ALEXIENS
CELLEBROERSSTR.
RUE DE CHENE E L KS TRAAT RUE DE L’ESCALIER
upper end of
walk of 400 m (437 yd) leads to
PLACE
8 RUE LEBEAU STR. ROYALE pastries. At the move on the hour. From here, a
the Place du
the Cathédrale Sts Michel et
9 KONINGS Grand Sablon Gudule (see pp74–5) j. On the
PLEIN
i o is the beautiful route back to the Grand Place,
7
PL DE LA e Notre-Dame du stop in the Place Agora to
CHAPELLE RUE STEVENS STR.
Chapelle KAPELLE Sablon (see p72) t. admire Burgomaster Charles
Kapelle MARKT 0 q On the Rue de la Buls and his dog, portrayed in a
w RUE DE LA REGENCE Régence, look right for a view of charming bronze statue k.
r REGENTSCHAPSSTRAAT the Palais de Justice (see p73) y.
R BODENBR OECK STR.
t Directly opposite you is the Place
du Petit Sablon (see pp72–3) u, a
pretty garden with statues of
R DES SABLONS
ZAVEL STRAAT
u medieval guildsmen.
y
Place Royale and Cathedral
Heading north along the Rue
de la Régence, you reach the
0 metres 100 Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts
0 yards 100 de Belgique (see pp66–71) i,
the city’s most important art
Key gallery, which houses the
Musée Magritte. Beyond lies the
Walk route
Place Royale (see p63) on the h The modern carillion clock on the arch
top of the Coudenberg, the in the Mont des Arts
For keys to symbols see back flap
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