Looking east along Rue Royale, your gaze is unavoidably drawn to this very distinctive octagonal 19th-century church in neo-Byzantine style, replete with buttresses and a star-studded central cupola.
©Analia Glogowski/Lonely Planet
Église Ste-Marie
Brussels
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.87 MILES
The medieval building and 1622 courtyard garden alone would be worth a visit, but it's the world's oldest printing press, priceless manuscripts and…
1.2 MILES
This 1899 former department store is an art nouveau showpiece with a black facade aswirl with wrought iron and arched windows. The building contains the…
1.1 MILES
Brussels’ magnificent Grand Place is one of the world’s most unforgettable urban ensembles. Oddly hidden, the enclosed cobblestone square is only revealed…
1.2 MILES
Strap on a pair of headphones, then step on the automated floor panels in front of the precious instruments (including world instruments and Adolphe Sax’s…
2.47 MILES
The typically austere exterior doesn’t give much away, but Victor Horta’s former home (designed and built 1898–1901) is an art nouveau jewel. The…
2.6 MILES
One of Brussels’ overlooked architectural wonders, this splendid Napoleon III–style palace
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28.29 MILES
Set on the grounds of a former Cistercian Abbey, this 65-hectare park is home to more than 5000 animals (including pandas, koalas, gorillas and lemurs)…
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16.83 MILES
The inventive and touchingly nostalgic Hergé Museum celebrates the multitalented creator of comic-strip hero Tintin with an engaging, inventive and…
Nearby Brussels attractions
0.09 MILES
This 1901 former food market is a great example of glass and wrought-iron industrial architecture. It's been restored as a cultural centre and performance…
0.36 MILES
This was the first building of note by Horta, commissioned by a friend and fellow mason in 1893. As per the brief, it shows little luxury or extravagance,…
3. Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée
0.65 MILES
This centre offers a definitive and enjoyable overview of the country’s vibrant comic-strip culture. Even if you’re not excited by the ‘ninth art’, do…
0.65 MILES
Brussels’ 25m-tall version of Nelson’s Column is an 1850s monolith topped by a gilded statue of King Léopold I. It commemorates the Belgian constitution…
0.68 MILES
Set in a handsome mosaiced and tiled former newspaper office right opposite the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée, this free museum explores the work of…
6. Église Notre-Dame du Finistère
0.71 MILES
To escape the lacklustre '70s architecture, meditate awhile in this 18th-century church whose baroque interior features a remarkable 1758 altarpiece, its…
0.8 MILES
A lesser sight on the Horta trail, this grand private house was remodelled and extended by the architect in 1893. It displays a rather stuffy collection…
8. National Bank of Belgium Museum
0.82 MILES
Unexpectedly absorbing, the renovated National Bank Museum is far more than just a coin collection. Well-presented exhibits trace the very concept of…