The official palace of the King of the Belgians is the Royal Palace of Brussels. It is in this location that the King exercises his duties as Head of State. It serves as the location where he grants audiences and deals with national affairs. However, the Royal Palace is not the residence of the royal family; rather, they live on the outskirts of Brussels in the Royal Castle of Laeken. The palace is situated in front of Brussels Park and is separated from the park by a long square called the Place des Palais. The present day appearance of the palace dates back to around 1900; however, the palace grounds were once part of a very old palatial complex from the Middle Ages, called Coudenberg Palace. One of the most famous pieces of the palace is located in the Mirror Room. The room features a unique ceiling and central chandelier that are adorned with wing cases from millions of Thai jewel scarab beetles. Called Heaven of Delight, the fresco took artist Jan Fabre and his team of 29 young artists over three months to complete. The fresco includes various shapes that glow in a changing greenish-blue color depending on how light hits the surface.

The Center for Fine Arts is a primary cultural venue in Brussels. Its construction was completed in 1928. Funding was originally denied for the project; however, a society dedicated to construction of a fine arts center was established in 1922. This society renewed interest in building a fine arts center. The government finally supported the construction but put some restrictions on the building. For one, it needed to include shopping on the ground floor. Also, the height of the building was to be limited so as to not block the King’s skyline views from the Royal Palace. The building features an Art Deco architectural style and was designed by Art Noveau architect Victor Horta. Art Deco is an artistic and design style that is eclectic in nature and originated in Paris in the 1920s. Characteristics of the Art Deco architectural style include symmetry. The style also incorporates elements of Egyptian and Aztec forms. The building is recognized as an Art Deco masterpiece and is often lauded for its ability to put together many uses and functions into a relatively small building plot. The design incorporates eight different building levels, with much of it underground. The complex includes a sizeable concert hall, recital room, chamber music room, lecture rooms, and has an extensive gallery for temporary exhibits. Today, the building goes by the name BOZAR and features several different artistic departments.

Historically, this site supported a medieval abbey church. However, the original church was destroyed in the mid 1700s in favor of a new church that would be more consistent with the overall urban planning efforts that were underway by Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. The new church location was proposed so it would be in line with rue Montage de la Cour. The current church was constructed over a 14-year period, from 1776 to 1780, with the addition of the nave, transept, choir and sacristy constructed in the years 1785 and 1786. Following its consecration, it was used as both an abbey and parish church. During the French Revolution, the abbey was suspended and the church became a Temple of Reason and later a Temple of Law. Temple of Reason was a temple for a new belief system created to replace Christianity during the French Revolution. The church was put back into Catholic control in 1802. The building features neoclassical architecture, though some of the neoclassical appearance was diminished with the addition of a 19th-century bell tower and placement of colored frescos on the pediment by artist Jean Portaeles. The building is topped with three sculptures depicting Saint Andrew, Saint James, and Saint John. The interior of the church is rather simple compared to that of other churches built at this time; however, it does have some notable features including large paintings located on each side of the transept. These were painted by Portaeles and are called The Crucifix and the Spear Blow, on the left, and the Cross of Salvation, on the right. The vault of the cupola is decorated with octagonal caissons full of roses.

This palace was named for Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, the governor-general of the Austrian Netherlands from 1744 to1780. He served as one of the principal commanders in the Austrian military during the War of the Austrian Succession. The building started out as an old townhouse for the Counts of Nassau, but was transformed into a neoclassical palace. The building features a neoclassical style façade. Notable features of the building include a rotunda with a central rosette made from 28 different types of Belgian marble. The marble came from the Prince’s personal collection of minerals. The Prince was very interested in science and his personal collection of mineral pieces numbered over 5,000. The palace has five halls, each decorated in stucco and silk. Each hall reflects a particular aspect of Charles de Lorraine’s life, including science, leisure, traveling, freemasonry and music. It is in these halls that guests were entertained and state affairs were handled. Today it serves as a museum for 18th century items demonstrating the aristocratic and intellectual life at the time, including sedans, china, silver ware, clocks, scientific instruments and medals. The exhibited works are from the collections of the Royal Museum of Art and History and the Royal Library.

The Kunstberg or Mont des Arts, meaning "hill/mountain of the arts", is a historic site in the center of Brussels. The showcase square was created for the Universal Exposition held in Brussels in 1910. It featured a park and a monumental staircase with cascading fountains descending the gentle slope from Place Royale down to Boulevard de l'Empereur/Keizerslaan. The original square was destroyed during the post-war construction frenzy known as Brusselization; between 1954 and 1965, the square and its surroundings gave way to massive, severely geometric postmodern structures such as the Royal Library of Belgium and the Congress Palace. The Mont des Arts offers one of Brussels’ finest views. From the vantage point on a hill, the famous tower of the Brussels Town Hall at the Grand Place is clearly visible. On a sunny day, the Koekelberg Basilica and even the Atomium can be seen.

This statue depicts King Albert I, who served as the King of the Belgians from 1909 to 1934. It was designed by Alfred Courtens and was inaugurated in 1951. Albert grew up in the Palace of Flanders. Interestingly, he was fourth in line of succession to the Belgian throne, but quickly moved closer as both his cousin and older brother died. By the time Albert was 16, he was second in line, after his father, to take the throne. Albert took his future task of king very seriously. He was very studious and was particularly concerned about the welfare for the working class of Belgium. He made trips, incognito, to various working class districts to become acquainted with the living conditions of the working class. He also made a trip to the Belgian Congo to gain a better understanding of the situation in the colony. Moved by what he saw, he returned to Belgium and initiated reforms to protect the native populations and to increase progress in the Belgian Congo. King Albert I was often referred to as a “soldier king”, due to his brave actions on the battlefield. This statue is located at the entrance of the Mont des Arts, which is dedicated to his memory. Fittingly, his statue stands across from one of his wife, Queen Elisabeth I.

This statue depicts Queen Elisabeth I, also known as Elisabeth of Bavaria. Elisabeth was married to Prince Albert, who later became the King of the Belgians and served as such from 1909 to 1934. The statue was designed by René Cliquet and was completed in 1980. Elisabeth’s statue faces the equestrian statue of her husband, Albert I. During World War I, the Queen made visits to the front lines and also sponsored a nursing unit. This endeared her to many people in both Belgium and in other European countries. In her later years, she became a significant patron of the arts. In 1937 she established an international music competition as a place for young virtuosi to showcase their musical talent. The competition continues to this day, with the challenge being held every three years. In the early 1940s, during the German occupation of Belgium, she used her German connections and influence to assist in the rescue of hundreds of Jewish children who were facing deportation by the Nazis. After the war, her efforts were recognized by the Israel government and she was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations. This award recognizes non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Elisabeth died in 1965 at the age of 89. She is interred at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels.