Brussels

Brussels 

  After resting at night in Paris hotel, next day we left to Brussels, Belgium.  Brussels is head quarter for Europe. Grand square in Brussels is a big square surrounded by grand buildings. Belgium handmade chocolates are world famous. We bought few of them.

Grand square

Grand square

Brussels Museum in Grand square

Grand square

Grand square

There is one more structure worth visiting here, Atomium. The Atomium is a landmark building in Brussels, originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World Expo. The Atomium depicts nine iron atoms in the shape of the body-centered cubic unit cell of an iron crystal, magnified 165 billion times.

Atomium

Atomium

Manneken pis

Manneken Pis is a landmark 61 cm bronze sculpture in the centre of Brussels, depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain's basin. It is located close to the grand square, in the city center. 

It is not known exactly when original statue was built. The earliest mention of the existence of Manneken Pis can be found in an administrative text, dating from 1451–1452. But this original statue is not present now, however one painting of this statue is available, from year 1615.

In 1619 one more bronze statue was made. But over the years it got stolen, damaged multiple times. Restored version of this statue is kept in Brussels museum. Replica, which is made in 1965, is available for display.

There are many stories from legends regarding this monument. One story goes that a small boy saves the kingdom from enemies by urinating on some explosive material kept by enemy. Hence this monument is a tribute to the boys presence of mind and bravery!

Manneken Pis