In the city of Brussels, capital of Belgium

 “We do not remember days, we remember moments.”

― Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places
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(in the capital of Belgium) The city of Brussels, in the valley of the Senne River, a tributary of the Schelde, is the country’s largest urban agglomeration. It consists of 19 municipalities, the largest of which contains the historic core of the city and the “European Quarter,” where the institutions of the European Union (EU) are found. Along with the much larger regions of Flanders and Wallonia, the Brussels-Capital Region constitutes one of Belgium's three main political divisions. As the seat of the EU, Brussels is known as the “capital of Europe,” and its significance as a center of international governance and business makes Brussels a truly global city. With a cityscape that seems to shift from majestic to quirky to rundown and back again, art deco facades face off against 1960s concrete developments, and regal 19th-century mansions contrast with the shimmering glass of the EU’s version of Gotham City. This maelstrom swirls out from Brussels’ medieval core, -- where the Grand Place is one of the world’s most beautiful squares. But Brussels' greatest architectural expression came at the turn of the 19th century with art nouveau, and its master builder is Horta. While restraint characterizes his exteriors, the interiors are sensual symphonies of form and color. Brussels’ magnificent Grand Place is one of the world’s most unforgettable urban ensembles. Oddly hidden, the enclosed cobblestone square is only revealed as you enter on foot from one of six narrow side alleys: Rue des Harengs is the best first approach. The focal point is the spired 15th-century city hall, but each of the antique guildhalls (mostly built from 1697–1705) has a charm of its own, with fine baroque gables, gilded statues, and elaborate guild symbols.

+ August 1695, during the War of the League of Augsburg (a.k.a. The Nine Years' War (from 1688–1697), or the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg), most of the houses on the Grand-Place were destroyed during a bombardment of the city by the French troops of marshal De Villeroy. Only the facade and the tower of the  City Hall, which were the target, and some stone walls "survived" the flaming cannonballs. The houses surrounding the square were quickly reconstructed, in stone this time, by the various guilds. Among these was the house of the Brewers guild, which shelters the Brewers Museum today. (Whether you prefer iconoclastic or outsider art, Magritte, or the Flemish Primitives, there really is something for every art lover, here in Brussels.)