1 Day in Ghent: Medieval Marvels Tour

The Earl's Castle was built in 1180. Because the castle builder, the Earl of Flanders, participated in the Second Crusade, the castle was built according to the appearance of the Crusaders' castle. The castle has experienced complexities throughout its long history and was converted into a prison and courthouse in the 14th century. It was almost demolished in the late 19th century. In 1885, it was bought by the municipality of Ghent and restored the castle to its original state, which is now the castle museum. In appearance and style, the Earl's Castle is very similar to the ancient castles in the British Isles. It is solemn and tall, very dark and cold in the Middle Ages, not as romantic and beautiful as the French castles.

Most of the buildings on the Grand Place in Brussels were built in the late 17th century, and the style of that year is still well preserved. In 1998, the Grand Place in Brussels was listed as a World Heritage Site. The main square of Brussels City Hall is rectangular, 110 meters long and 68 meters wide. The ground is entirely paved with granite. The prominent building around the square is the Brussels City Hall, which is a typical Gothic building in Brussels. The spired bell tower is 96 meters high and is decorated with a sculpture of Saint Michel slaying the devil. Swan Cafe There is a swan statue on the left door of the city hall is the Swan Cafe. Opposite the City Hall, the building with the same minaret was once owned by the King of Spain and was called the "House of the King". It is now the National Museum, and the clothes given to the Manneken Pis statue by various countries are also collected here. Statue of Serkras The statue of Serkras located in the corner of the Grand Place in Brussels is not to be missed. This gilded bronze statue was built in memory of the hero Sarkras of Brussels, showing the scene of Serkras before his death. It is said that Touching the statue from left to right brings good luck. The other buildings surrounding the square with various buildings belong to various guild organizations, such as boatmen, tailors, painters, etc. The sculptures on the doors of each guild building are sculptures of revered figures or symbolic animals of the guild. Due to the different construction periods, these buildings reflect a variety of architectural styles such as Gothic, Baroque, Louis XIV and so on. Among them, the Duke of Brabant Building, which is decorated with 19 busts of the Dukes of Brabant, is majestic and magnificent. This group of six buildings was built in 1698 and is the seat of guilds such as mill owners and carpenters. , which is now a cocoa and chocolate museum. In addition to admiring the exquisite and atmospheric buildings, the night view of the Grand Place in Brussels is also a highlight. The murals and carvings on all the buildings are shining brightly when the lanterns are first turned on, which is a good place to shoot night scenes. In addition, since 1971, every two years, on the weekends around August 15, there will be a grand celebration in Brussels Square: the laying of carpets. The tapestry selects begonias grown in the Ghent area. Each time, they are designed with different themes, and the amount of flowers used is as high as 800,000. If you happen to meet, be sure to enjoy the beauty of the flowery square.

The Manneken Pis Statue is a must-see for any visitor to Brussels. This cute child peeing is made of bronze and is 60 cm high. It was built in 1619. It is located at the corner of Rudel’Etuve and Ruede Chene in the downtown area, and is surrounded by tourists all year round.

The church of St. Nicholas, built in the 13th century, has a unique Gothic architectural style and presents a different tone from the general building due to the use of a special blue-gray stone.

The Brussels Atomium is located in the Imundo Municipal Park in the northwestern suburb of Brussels. It was designed by Belgian engineer André Waterkeyn for the Brussels World Exposition in 1958 and has now become a representative Belgian landmark. Unconventional structure This atomic tower adopts the cubic crystal structure of alpha iron magnified by 165 billion times. It consists of 9 large aluminum spheres with a diameter of 18 meters. Each sphere represents an atom and also represents the nine provinces of Belgium. , The balls are connected by hollow steel pipes, each steel pipe is about 29 meters long. The total weight of 9 spheres plus the steel frame structure is 2,200 tons, and the highest sphere is 102 meters above the ground. The surface of each ball is welded with 5800 triangular arc aluminum sheets. Under the sunlight, this imposing building shimmers with silver light, which can be called an unconventional scientific work of art. Top Sphere Overlook At present, 4 spheres of the Atomium are open to the public, and the other spheres are used for research work or rental. From the ground-level circular reception hall, you can take the elevator to the high header ball. This elevator has a speed of up to 5 meters per second, which is the fastest elevator in Europe. The top ball is designed for tourists to enjoy the scenery, surrounded by a fixed circle of tempered plexiglass windows and equipped with multiple telescopes. From the top of the ball, you can see the entire city of Brussels near and far: Brussels City Hall, Sacred Heart National Basilica, Miniature Europe and other buildings can be seen. The tour guide comes down from the top ball, and the metal pipes that run diagonally between the balls can go down to other balls in turn. In these spheres, exhibits on solar energy, atomic energy, aerospace technology, astronomy, and the history of Belgian meteorology are displayed in different categories. At the observation deck on the sixth floor, you can view the Atomium and the 5 balls in it from a very unique angle, which is very interesting. The top half of the delicious restaurant is equipped with a viewing restaurant, and the scenery outside the window is very charming. The restaurant is only open to groups at noon, but you can have dinner here. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance. Dining at an altitude of 100 meters above the ground is an unforgettable experience. There is a dining bar on the bottom of the atomic ball. If you are tired, you can come here to rest and replenish energy. The souvenir shop on the same floor is also not to be missed. There are all kinds of original mugs, earrings, and pens here, which are very creative and can be purchased as appropriate. When night falls, the 9 circles of light bulbs outside each sphere alternately chase and glow. The wonderful lights dot the night scene of Brussels, which is worth seeing.