Parcs & Gardens, Brussels

Favorite thing: The Parc royal, sits in all its neoclassic splendour between the royal palace and the paliament, sort of between the lower and the upper parts of the town.

Bureaucrats and eurocrats rush through it daily getting from work back home via the Gare central. They frequently trip over tourists, day-trippers and travellers with their guide books in their hands. The beautiful people jog through with Madonna's finest pumping into their ears... it's a busy place for a park.

And I bet you that not one of them has ever looked at the notice in the photo... and realised that THEY are responsible for picking up the autumn leaves, scooping the poop of the dogs and generally clipping and preening.

Fondest memory: The sign says:

This garden, created for the pleasure of the public, is placed under the safekeeping of all citizens

How can you not love a city that empowers its inhabitants to do a spot of gardening?

Favorite thing: Well if you've finished pruning the trees and feeding the birds, let me now tell you a little bit about the ground your standing on. Today you may be forgiven for thinking that it was a folly of some 17th century royal... but the history of this park dates back to the 13th century when it was used to keep the king's stock of deer, pheasant and goose alive until it was dinner time!

Over time it was developed into a fine royal park, and once the last hare had been jugged, a more formal layout was established.

Fondest memory: Until 2000, the year when Brussels was declared one of a number of European Cities of Culture, this park had taken on a wonderfully overgrown, but graceful attitude. However the powers that were at the point, sought to restore it to the finery established in the 15th century. So for 3 years its pathways were muddied while the fountains were restored, old trees were removed to reestablish the geometric pathways, and all the while the statues smiled down on the backbreaking work.

At the time of writing it looks a little sparse, but once all that new greenery takes hold, it will be truly fabulous again.

Favorite thing: Aside from reinstalling the fountains, recent renovations have replaced a number of paths in the Parc royal, that featured in the early layout. The paths, viewed from above, create a number of triangles, axes and rectangles... "nothing exciting there" I hear you chorus... hold that thought for a moment.

I'd just like to take you for a walk round so that you really appreciate the quantity, quality and settings of the statues that are installed in this park... in the main they recall mythical characters, and over the centuries they have been begged, borrowed and stolen from around Brussels and beyond... they really are something. This cherub is one of two that guard one of the main entrances on the palace end of the park.. cute, isn't he?

Fondest memory: OK back to those paths. If you could view them from above, they depict the entire tool bag of the stone mason: compasses, mallet, square rule, trowel, ruler, level, scissors and plumbline.

You don't believe me, do you?

Well, aside from the fact that my uncle was a stone mason by trade, let me also point you in the direction of a website that tells all ... have fun.

Favorite thing: This statue is located at the "Spanjeplein"
near the Central Station and will guide you to the "Tub" of Brussels - The Great Marketplace ! From this spot you can already see St Michael, the patron of Brussels, high above at the top of the famous City Hall.

Fondest memory: When i visited this Capital of Belgium in november - the greatest memory was the silence of this City.Practically carless streets
but - as always an overcrowded japanese marketplace.Better look for the surroundings - many greens - parks and musea !
A moment of silence - in a famous Capital

Favorite thing: In the Jubelpark you find two or three different museums.

Besides the Arch of Triumph you find The Royal Army Museum. From there you can get on the top of the Arch. The access is for free and from up there you have a great view over the city.

For more info click here to browse the museum's webpage.

Favorite thing: Brussels- Spanjeplein - very close to the Central railway station. A square up on your way to the "Great Market" place.Three remarkable vieuws - the impressing statue of Don and Pancha - an other statue of Bela Bartok and at last the beautiful restored facades of many Hotels - this all on a carless square !

Fondest memory: "Boterhammen in de Stad "- already the 14th edition of a free music festival in the heart of Brussels, conducted by Don Quichote and Pancha himself ??!!

Favorite thing: We saw this Pavilion from the Hop On Hop Off bus as it drove by. Limited time to take a photo, however time enough to see the external beauty of this building designed by Alexander Marcel and built during the period 1901 - 1909. The pavilion houses the Royal collection of Oriental Porcelain.

Location: Avenue Jules Van Praet. Tram #23 or #52.

Favorite thing: 'Brussels' during summer seems
to slow down a lot.
The buildings look much nicer , people
walk slower and the parks and gardens
come to life.

My fovorite spot to lie back is the 'warandepark'
in front of the royal palace.
Lately it got restored , big works...
It got this nice statues , fountains and a geometrical

Take the underground 'parc , park'
designed garden concept.

It is also here that the revolt started against the
dutch domination and a little bit that Belgium
was born.

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Favorite thing: A good place to rest after walking the Upper Town. Surrounded by some of the best buildings in Belgium, Palaces and the Belgian Parliament this park has a lake, fountains and pathways which are surrounded by trees.

Catch the Metro train to station Parc or tram92,93 or 94.

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Favorite thing: De Kleine Zavel/Le Petit Sablon (it's the real name; in Flemish and French languages) was originally a horse market. In 1890 it was turned into a garden. It is surrounded by 48 statues representing the Medieval guilds of Brussels. In the center of the square you can see a statue of the counts of Egmont and Hoorne who were excecuted at the Grand Markt in 1568 by order of Philip II of Spain.