After visiting Mini-Europe and Atomium, we hopped on to the next Toot bus. Originally, we planned to get off at Stop 12: Louise – Palais de Justice to visit the Place Poelaert, Justice Palace, and Mont des Arts, but we changed our plans due to the rain. Instead, we headed to Stop 15: Cinquantenaire to visit the Triumphal Arch locally known as Cinquantenaire Arch. Before exploring, we stopped at a Manhattan burger near the Toot bus stop for a delightful meal.
Cinquantenaire Arch
The Cinquantenaire Arch is an iconic monument that stands at the heart of the Parc du Cinquantenaire, a park created to commemorate Belgium’s 50th anniversary of independence in 1880. Its magnificent structure features three arches crowned by a bronze quadriga, a four-horse chariot sculpture. The Arch serves as the entrance to a complex of museums, including the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, Autoworld, and the Art & History Museum. At the same time, the surrounding park is often used for national celebrations and public events.
Fortunately, the weather cleared up, and we could fully appreciate the magnificent Cinquantenaire Arch and the surrounding parks, which were being prepped for a marathon happening in two days. After taking some photos and enjoying the sunny weather, we realized we still had time to catch the last Toot Bus. We made our way back to the bus, heading toward the Place Royale and Mont des Arts.
Palais Royal de Bruxelles
We hopped off the bus at Place Royale and walked to the Palais Royal de Bruxelles (Royal Palace of Brussels) to view it from outside. They usually open this place to the public in July-August every year. You can find more information on this website: https://www.monarchie.be/en/heritage/royal-palace-of-brussels . Opposite the palace, there is Brussels Park also referred to as Royal Park. Due to the time crunch, we couldn’t visit the park from inside and headed towards the tram station to visit Place Poelaert.
Place Poelaert
Place Poelaert is known for its impressive architecture and historical significance. The square is dominated by the Palais de Justice, one of the largest courthouses in the world. It was under renovation when we visited so we didn’t get a chance to observe the impressive architecture of the palace.
Next to the Palais de Justice is the Belgian Infantry monument locally known as Monument à la Gloire de l’Infanterie Belge.
Right behind the monument is a giant Ferris wheel – The View – Bruxelles. There was no queue and we hopped onto the wheel to enjoy the mesmerizing views of Brussels. We were in the capsule for almost 10-12 minutes and it cost us 26 euros. We could even see the Atomium from this square because of the clear weather.
After roaming around for a while we caught a tram back to Place Royal and took a walk through the Mont des Arts.
Mont des Arts
Mont des Arts, or the Hill of the Arts, is a cultural gem in the heart of Brussels, offering a perfect blend of history, art, and stunning city views. The site was initially transformed into a garden for the 1910 Brussels International Exposition, but after years of neglect, it was revitalized in the 1950s. This man-made hill is surrounded by major cultural institutions like the Royal Library of Belgium, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, and the Magritte Museum, making it a hub for art and history enthusiasts. The Square – Brussels Meeting Centre offers modern facilities for conferences and exhibitions. Additionally, the hill’s public garden provides a peaceful retreat with stunning views of the city.
Some other key landmarks around are Hotel Ravenstein and L’oreille Tourbillonante between Place Royal and Mont des Arts and Statue du Roi Albert 1er and Carillon du Mont des Arts towards Brussels Central.
We just sat and enjoyed the surroundings, after a long day of sightseeing we wanted to breathe all the peace the hill had to offer. Our hotel was within walking distance and we reached the hotel around 10 o’clock after a short walk. We quickly had some ready-to-cook meals and dozed off for the night. The next day we were going for a day trip to another beautiful medieval town in Belgium.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Brussels.
Read about our experience of exploring the contemporary side of Brussels – Atomium and Mini Europe.
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