Page 91 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

GREA TER BRUSSELS  89

9 Musée du Tram
Ave de Tervuren 364b, BRU 1150.
Tel (02) 515 3110/3108. v 39, 44, 94.
Open Apr–Sep: 1–5pm Wed (no
rides),1–7pm Sat, Sun & pub hols.
Group tours possible. Sun and pub
hols: three-hour round tour to Heysel
(leaves 10am). Closed Oct–Mar. &
This museum traces the history
of public transport in Belgium,
with marvellous displays of
heritage machinery. Horse-
drawn trams are available to
transport visitors round the site,
which features fully-working
early versions of the electric
tram, buses and plenty of
interactive exhibits.
0 Musée Royal de
The Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Coeur
l’Afrique Centrale
witness the production of burgeoning population of early Leuvensesteenweg 13, Tervuren
classic Belgian beers. 20th-century Brussels. He 3080. Tel (02) 769 5211. v 44.
commissioned the church in Open Reopening 2017 following
E Maison d’Érasme 1904, but the building was not renovation; phone or check website
Rue du Chapitre 31, 1070 BRU. finished until 1970. Originally for updates/new opening hours. &
Tel (02) 521 1383. Open 10am– designed by Pierre Langerock, ∑ africamuseum.be
6pm Tue–Sun. Closed Mon, 1 Jan, the final construc tion, which
25 Dec. & uses sandstone and terracotta, In the 19th century, the colony
R Eglise Sts-Pierre-et-Guidon was a less expensive adap tation of the Belgian Congo was
Place de la Vaillance, 1070 BRU. Open by Albert van Huffel. Very much Belgium’s only territorial
2–5pm Mon–Fri. Closed Sat & Sun. a 20th-century church, in contrast possession. It was handed
to the many medieval religious back to self-government in
E Musée Gueuze
Rue Gheude 56, 1070 BRU. Tel (02) 521 buildings in the city centre, it is 1960 and eventually renamed
4928. Open 9am–5pm Mon– Fri, dedicated to those who died Zaire (now the Democratic
10am–5pm Sat. Closed Sun, public for Belgium, in par ticular the Republic of Congo). This
hols. & including 1 free beer. thousands of Belgian soldiers museum, opened in 1899, is
who were never to return from a collection gleaned from the
8 Basilique the two World Wars, killed in period of colonial rule, including
ceremonial African dress and
battles fought on their own soil.
Nationale du The most dominating feature masks, and displays on colonial
Sacré-Coeur of the church is the vast green life. Dugout canoes, pagan idols,
copper dome, rising 90 m (295 ft) weapons and stuffed wildlife
Parvis de la Basilique 1, Koekelberg, above ground. For those who feature heavily and there is a
1083 BRU. Tel (02) 421 1667. do not manage to visit the horrifying collection of con-
q Simonis. @ 13, 14, 15, 20, 87. church itself, it is this central served giant African insects,
v 19. Open summer: 9am–5pm dome that is visible from many much enjoyed by children. The
daily; winter: 10am–4pm daily. &
8 by appointment. points in the city, including the museum is currently closed for
Palais de Justice. renovation work.
Although a small and popular
suburb among Brussels’
residents, there is little for the
visitor to see in Koekelberg other
than the striking Basili que
Nationale du Sacré-Coeur, but
this does make the journey
worthwhile for those interested
in Art Deco.
King Léopold II was keen to
build a church in the city which
could accommodate vast
congregations to reflect the The Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale façade in Tervuren

088-089_EW_Brussels.indd 89 10/01/17 10:54 am