Brussels A friendly Destination for Muslim Travelers
Islam in Belgium is the second largest religion in the country. Muslims constituting 23.6% of the population in Brussels. Here our recommendations about what to see in Brussels.
The Mosque & Islamic Cultural Centre
The Great Mosque of Brussels is the oldest mosque in Brussels. It is located in the Cinquantenaire Park. It is also the seat of the Islamic and Cultural Centre of Belgium. The original building was designed by architect Ernest Van Humbeek in an Arabic style, to form the Oriental Pavilion of the National Exhibition in Brussels in 1880. At that time the pavilion housed a monumental painting on canvas: “Panorama of Cairo”, by the Belgian painter Emile Wauters, which enjoyed major success.
However, lack of maintenance in the twentieth century caused the building to deteriorate gradually.thIn 1967, King Baudouin lent the building to King Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz of Saudi Arabia. The buildings was turned into a place of worship for the use Muslim immigrants to Belgium.
The Centre has a school and an Islamic research centre whose objectives are to propagate the Muslim faith. It also provides courses of Arabic for adults and children, as well as introductory courses in Islam.
Address: Parc du Cinquantenaire 14, 1000 Bruxelles, Bélgica
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 16:00
Friday and Saturday, 9:00 – 13:00
Except July and August t
Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 1:00
Friday and Saturday, 9:00 – 13:00
Grand Place
This place, an UNESCO World Heritage Site is the main tourist attraction of Brussels. It is a beautiful, wide open cobbled medieval and the main market square. It is a great place to hang out and admire the elegant guildhouses. In the Middle Ages wooden houses were built around the market and by the 14th century wealthy families took to building stone mansions which led to the market developing into the main commercial administrative centre.
There is a daily flower market between March and October and often accompanied with concerts and a light show in the evening. Every two years, during August, a huge flower carpet is laid on the floors of the Grand Place. The beautiful tapestry of flowers is an event that attracts tourist from all over the world.
Address: Grand-Place, 1000 Brussels
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
Perched on the Treurenberg hill is the glorious Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. It is named after the patron saint of Brussels and considered to be the favoured Catholic church of the Belgian royal family. To see the spectacular façade of the cathedral is not enough to fully grasp its wonder. You have to enter the church and be enthralled by the stunning stained-glass windows. Try going on a sunny day to see how the daylight illuminate the windows like shining jewels.
Address:Place Sainte-Gudule, 1000 Bruxelles
Manneken-Pis Statue
The famous Manneken-Pis remains the emblem of the rebellious spirit of the City of Brussels. It was at first a fountain that played an essential role in the former distribution of drinking water since the 15th century. It survived of the bombardment of Brussels in. Manneken-Pis became a precious good and enjoys a ceaselessly growing glory. During big events, we adorn him with luxurious clothes. We know that in the 18th century, Manneken-Pis was dressed at least 4 times a year andheit lost his main function in the network of water conveyance of the City in the 19th century.
Address: Rue de l’Étuve – Stoofstraat, Bruxelles – Brussel, Belgium
Heysel Park and the Atomium
Heysell Park
Is the area in the north of Brussels, Belgium, where the Brussels International Exposition (1935) and the Expo ’58 took place.Is also the location of the King Baudouin Stadium, a large movie theatre (Kinepolis), a park which hosts miniature models of famous European buildings (Mini-Europe), a subtropical water park (Océade) and a planetarium. Palais 12 is a large indoor arena which hosts concerts and spectacles for a maximum capacity of 15,000 people.
The Atomium
102 meter high monument designed by André Waterkeynwas built in 1958 for an international exhibition. The tubes connecting the nine spheres contain escalators that carry visitors to various exhibit halls and spaces. The design was meant to signify the science era of the time in a modern manner and also to send a message about using science for peaceful purposes.
Nowadays there a total of nine spheres accessible by multilevel stairs and an elevator, but only five spheres are open to the public. The Atomium for the greater part is an observation deck although it is also a museum and exhibition center. This is one of the most visited attractions in Brussels. The restaurant on the top sphere provides some nice city views and photo opportunities.
Address: Boulevard du Centenaire, Laeken, Brussels
Opening hours: Every day from 10:00 to 18:00
Antique Market – Place du Sablon
In 1960 George Van de Weghe, an antique dealer established near the Place du Sablon, asks to the Sablon Church’s priest to be allowed to display his engravings at the end of the mass every Sunday morning. The priest suggests to bring together several antique dealers and to create a market that was allowed on probation every Sunday morning.
Seveteen courageous pioneers inaugurate the first Sablon Antique Market. Organised by the “Marché des Antiquaires” association, it directly turns out a success. Since that time it has served as an artistic and cultural center and has been a meeting point not to be missed by antique lovers.
Address: Chocolatier Mary, 73 Rue Royale, Brussels, Belgium
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium are a group of art museums wich holds collections that trace the history of the visual arts – painting, sculpture and drawing – from the 15th to the 21st centuries. They preserve the works of the Flemish Primitives, of Pieter Bruegel, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacques Jordaens, Jacques Louis David, Auguste Rodin, James Ensor, Paul Gauguin, Ferdinand Khnopff, Henry Moore, Paul Delvaux, René Magritte, Marcel Broodthaers, Jan Fabre and many others.
This jewel among Belgium’s cultural institutions is comprised of several entities: the Musée Old Masters Museum, the Musée Modern Museum, the Musée Wiertz Museum and the Musée Meunier Museum, the Musée Magritte Museum and the new Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum.
Opening hours:
Tuedays – Fridays: 10:00 – 17:00
Weekends: 11:00 – 18:00
Exceptions: MUSÉE WIERTZ MUSEUM and MUSÉE MEUNIER MUSEUM
Tuesdays – Fridays: 10:00 – 12:00 et 12:45 – 17:00
Weekends: only groups with a guide of Educateam
Address: Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 Brussels
Hotel De Ville – Town Hall
Address: Grand Place 8, 1000 Brussels
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
To see the spectacular façade of the cathedral is not enough to fully grasp its wonder. You have to enter the church and be enthralled by the stunning stained-glass windows. Try going on a sunny day to see how the daylight illuminate the windows like shining jewels. Perched on the Treurenberg hill is the glorious Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. It is named after the patron saint of Brussels and considered to be the favoured Catholic church of the Belgian royal family.
Address:Place Sainte-Gudule, 1000 Brussels
Halal Restaurants in Brussels
In a large and cosmopolitan city as Barcelona, that has a growing muslim population and muslim tourist, there are many restaurants and businesses offering Halal food.
17 Rue du Marché aux Herbes, Bruxelles, Bruxelles
93 Anspachlaan, Brussel, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest
8 Rue des Chapeliers, Bruxelles, Bruxelle
Boulevard d’Anvers 15, Brussels, Brussels Region
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