Old Town (La Vieille Ville)
MANNEKEN PIS, GALERIES ROYALE ST-HUBERT, RUE DE BOUCHERS

The Old Town (La Vieille Ville) is the most attractive part of Brussels, situated in the heart of the city center (Centre-Ville). It is centered around Grand Place and consist of small scale, partly pedestrian streets with small beautiful historic buildings. Here you will find Manneken Pis, the very small statue of a pissing boy that has became the foremost symbol of Brussels, as well as the historic shopping galleria St-Hubert. Some streets just next to Galeries Royale St-Hubert have cozy open-air restaurants and an atmosphere that resembles both Paris and Southern EuropCompared to other European capitals, Brussels can appear a bit "dry", since it is not situated by a sea, any major lake or river. The small river Senne (Zenne) can only be seen a bit away from the city center since it was covered up to make way for boulevards in the 19th-20th centuries.

Note that Grand Place and other squares in the area have their own sections.

 

RUE DE BOUCHERS and Rue des Dominicains:


Rue des Bouchers (Beenhouwers straat) is the longest of 3 very picturesque, narrow curcy and cozy pedestrian streets that borders Galeries St-Hubert and Grand Place. Here you find open air restaurants from all over the world, pubs and streetlife. Especially at night (click here), this is probably Brussels most attractive area.

 


Rue des Bouchers is very touristy but still very nice


Petit rue des Bouchers, the shorter street

 
Rue des Bouchers   We tried this nice restaurant at Rue des Bouchers   We ordered this paella

 

GALERIES ROYALE ST-HUBERT:


Galeries Royales St-Hubert (Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen), a historic shopping galleria right next to Grasmarkt, a few blocks from Grand Place. It consist of two 100m long, beautiful arcades, called Kings Gallery and Queens Gallery, and some shorter ones (Prince Gallery). The galleria features of many special stores.

  


Galeries Royales St-HubertChocolate, a Belgian specialty


Galeries Royales St-Hubert, one of the 100m long beautiful glazed arcades. The shopping arcade is from the 19th century and reminds a bit of the more famous one in Milan. It was designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer in an Italian Cinquecento style and inaugurated by King Leopold in 1847.

  


Galeries Royales St-HubertRare store in Galeries St-Hubert

 
Rare store in Galeries St-Hubert   Rare store in Galeries St-Hubert   Rare store in Galeries St-Hubert

 
Rue de l'Ecuyer, Parisian looking street on the back of Galeries St-Hubert   Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes near Grand Place   Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes is a pedestrian street

 

AROUND THE BOURSE:


St Nicholas Church (Eglise Saint Nicolas/Sint Niklaaskerk) next to the bourse house was built in the 1000s, the current version 1954.This quiet church has a painting by Rubens.

  


Entrance to St Nicholas Church

Interior, St Nicholas Church

 
Small buildings with stores in front of the church building of St Nicholas   Small buildings with stores in front of the church building of St Nicholas   St Nicholas Church


The Brussels Stock Exchange (La Bourse), founded 1801 by Napoleon, has elements of neo-renaissance.

  


Palms in front of the bourse

 
One of many tasteless imitatons of the urinating boy, Manneken Pis   Tintin store   Sesam cookies store

 
Gourmet store in the Old Town   The smurfs are as Belgian as th Atomium   Modernist building with a rare pattern

 
The iconic Town Hall seen from the backside at the small Rue de l'Amigo.   The courtyard of the Town Hall looks much different then the exterior at Grand Place.   Spitting sculpture at the backside of the Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville).

 

MANNEKEN PIS and surrounding quarters:


Manneken Pis. This statue of a small boy that is urinating on a fountain is oddly enough the most famous symbol of Brussels! It is known to be small, but in reality it was even much smaller then I would have thought! In the surrounding quartiers you can find restaurants, pubs and shops with Manneken Pis theme. Imitations in all sizes and colours are sold in souvenir shops.

  


Manneken Pis overview

It is always crowded with tourists at the Manneken Pis


Manneken Pis stands on the corner of Rue de l'Etuve (Stroofstraat) and Rue de Chêne (Eikstraat), close to Grand Place in the Old Town. It was designed by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy and put in place in 1618 or 1619. But since it has been stolen many times, the current version is from 1965. It is only 61cm high. What many people don't know is that there are 7 more towns in Belgium that has a Manneken Pis, and in Brussels you also can find Jeanneke Pis (pissing girl9 and Zinneke Pis (pissing girl).

 


Manneken Pis is dressed in costumes several times a week.

Opposite the sculpture Manneken Pis you find the pub Manneken Pis

 
The crossing at Manneken Pis   The crossing at Manneken Pis   The crossing at Manneken Pis

 
Rue de Chêne (Eikstraat) towards Grand Place   Old Dinky Toys   The crossing Rue de Marché au Charbon/Plattesteen


The crossing Rue de Marché au Charbon/Plattesteen. There are many fancy cars in Brussels, as well as horse carriages. Marché au Charbon (Kolenmarkt)

 



  


Comic mural painting at Rue de Marché au Charbon (Kolenmarkt). These are the gay quarters of Brussels.Anothr comic mural painting in the same crossing

 
Kolenmarkt (Marché au Charbon)   Kolenmarkt (Marché au Charbon)   Kolenmarkt (Marché au Charbon)

 
Kolenmarkt (Marché au Charbon)   Store   Manneken Frites, a variant of Manneken Pis. French fries is a Belgian specialty.


Tintin mural painting on Rue de l'Etuve, near Mannepeken Pis. On some buildings of Brussels the Old Town, you can find comic strips painted on house walls.

  


Tintin mural painting

Tintin mural painting

 

OLD TOWN BRUSSELS BY NIGHT:

 
Rue de Bouchert really comes alive at night. Visit the night section here.   Rue de Bouchert really comes alive at night. Visit the night section here.   Galeries Royale St-Hubert at night. Visit the night section here.