About Brussels
Brussels is Belgium’s capital and home to the headquarters of the European Union. The ornate Grand-Place at the heart of the city has shops and cafes inside 17th-century guildhouses, and the intricate Gothic Hôtel de Ville (town hall) with its distinctive bell tower. The 19th-century Maison du Roi houses the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles history museum, including costumes for the city’s Manneken-Pis statue. On average (based on measurements over the last 100 years), there are approximately 100 days of rain per year in the Brussels-Capital Region. The architecture in Brussels is diverse, and spans from the clashing combination of Gothic, Baroque and Louis XIV styles on the Grand Place to the postmodern buildings of the EU institutions. Brussels contains over 80 museums. Brussels is known for its local waffle, its chocolate, its French fries and its numerous types of beers.