Best historic sites in Brussels

updated 1:02 p.m. ET Jan. 15, 2007

Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall; Brussels): Both the inside and the outside of this magnificent Gothic work repay careful study. The sculptors who created its intricate exterior decoration had a sense of humor -- or at any rate what passed for a sense of humor in the Middle Ages -- as well as skill. And the interior is lavish enough even for the extravagant tastes of the imperial aldermen who ruled over the city from here.

Galeries Royales St-Hubert (St. Hubert Royal Galleries; Brussels): One of Europe's oldest "shopping malls," the Italian neo-Renaissance style gallery with three connected wings opened in 1847, and is still a fine place to shop and to stroll through window-shopping.

Best Castles, Palaces and Historic Homes
Kasteel Beersel (Brussels): This 13th-century castle just 8km (5 miles) south of Brussels, looks to be the ideal place for pulling up the drawbridge and settling in for a siege -- and if the owners have had the foresight to amply stock the rustic Auberge Kasteel Beersel restaurant inside, the proceedings need not be too burdensome. This is a castle just like Disney makes them, with turrets, three towers, a drawbridge, a moat, and the spirits of all those who have, willingly or unwillingly, resided within its walls.

Complete Brussels Guide Frommer's Best Historic Sites in Brussels Frommer's Best Bets for Dining in Brussels Frommer's Best Travel Experiences in Brussels

Best Museums
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts (Royal Museums of Fine Arts; Brussels): The city's premier historical art and modern art collections are together in a single institution, though not exactly under one roof -- you go underground to the modern section. These two museums contain a memorable panoply of art, from some of the finest works of Flemish old masters, such as Brueghel, Rubens, Van Dyck, and Frans Hals, to Magritte, Delvaux, and Permeke.

For a complete listing of what to see and do in Brussels, visit the online attractions index at Frommers.com.

Frommer’s is America’s bestselling travel guide series. Visit Frommers.com to find great deals, get information on over 3,500 destinations, and book your trip. © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Republication or redistribution of Frommer's content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Wiley.

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