The Élglise Notre Dame du Sablon (Church or our Lady of the Sablon) is a late-Gothic style church in the upscale Sablon area. The original chapel on the site dates back to 1304 and was funded by the Guild of Crossbowmen. Upon completion of the chapel, the guildsmen used it as their place of worship. Later, the church was used by the monarchs; including Emperor Charles V. Up until the late 1700s the church was a burial ground for the rich community members, who would construct their own funeral chapels. The church was expanded through the years and was renovated in a neo-Gothic style between 1864 and 1934. The real beauty of the church is in the interior, with impressive and colorful stained-glass windows. These windows provide a contrast to the churches generally gray and white features. They are lit from behind and visible from the exterior of the church at night. The statue of St. Hubert is notable due to its interesting history. It was stolen from Brussels and spirited away to Antwerp where it stayed for year. Eventually it was returned to the church and in 1348, and it has remained ever since. The church is open daily.

The Petit Sablon is a delightful little resting spot where you can enjoy a serene setting in an otherwise bustling city. This small park is in the exclusive Sablon area of Brussels, which boasts numerous art galleries, boutiques and antique shops. The name “sablon” comes from a yellow sandy earth layer that is seen in the area. The Petit Sablon was established in 1890 through the planning of architect Beyaert. Prior to that, this location served as a horse market. Visitors enjoy the gardens, fountains and the decorative wrought iron fencing adorned with small bronze statuettes. The 48 statues, designed by Paul Hankar, represent different trade and craft guilds. A special emphasis is given to the builder, sculptor, stone cutter and slate quarry worker, which are crowned. One end of the garden features a raised monument with ten large statues representing the celebrated Belgian scholars and humanists, including Mercator, Van Bodeghem, and Ortelius. In the center of the park stands an elevated monument to the Counts of Egmont and Hoorn. Their coats of arms decorate the base of the statute. These Counts are commemorated because they stood up against the tyranny of the Spanish invasion. Unfortunately, they met their death through decapitation for their position.

The Egmont Palace is home to the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The building is primarily used for Ministry meetings and receptions. The large mansion was built in the mid 1500s by Lamoral, Count of Egmont and his mother, Francoise of Luxembourg. It was originally constructed in a Flemish-Gothic style and then in a Renaissance style. In the 18th century the building was renovated to a Classical style by the Arenbergs, a prominent Belgian aristocratic family. Following World War I, the German owners sold the building to the city of Brussels. During the 1920 Summer Olympics, fencing events were hosted in the garden. In 1964, the building was transferred from the Brussels government to the Belgian government. In 1977, the Egmont Pact was signed at the palace. The pact focused on the reform of Belgium and the relations between the various linguistic communities in the country. Due to subsequent resignation of the government, the pact was not carried out; however, key elements of the pact were later used in a state reform. Visitors are not able to access the interior of the palace; only the garden area and adjacent secluded Egmont Park. The latter features a Gothic well which was historically used to supply water and extinguish fires. It also includes several statues, including one of childhood favorite Peter Pan.

Egmont Park is a protected garden located opposite the Egmont Palace. The park is known for having a number of statues such as the statue of Peter Pan and Prince de Ligne. Egmont Park is considered one of the greenest and the pettiest parks in the city of Brussels.

The Anglo-Belgian War Memorial is dedicated to the Belgian people who helped the British prisoners of war during World War I. It is located near the Belgian infantry memorial in the Brussels Place Poelaert. The memorial was funded by the British Imperial War Graves commission and designed by Charles Jagger (1885-1934), a British sculptor. Jagger actually served during World War I himself, and after completing the service he went on to sculpt many works revolving around the theme of war. The monument is carved from Brainvilliers stone. It was unveiled by the Prince of Wales and presented to the people of Belgium in 1923 as a sign of appreciation. The sculpture depicts a Belgian and British soldier. The sides show Belgian peasants, in a relief form, providing care to the wounded British soldiers. The casts of the peasant reliefs are located in the Imperial War Museum and the casts of the Belgian soldier is located in the Musee de L’Armee in Brussels. During World War II, Belgians would lay flowers at the memorial as symbol of contempt to the German occupiers. A reciprocal monument was presented to the British from the Belgian people to be placed on the embankment of the Thames in London.

The Palace of Justice, commissioned by King Leopold II, was built over a 20-year period and was completed in 1880. It was the work of architect Joseph Poelaert, and features an Assyro-Babylonian style, which is essentially an eclectic mix of architectural patterns. It is dominated by columns and a 24,000-ton golden dome. The palace holds the honor of being the largest secular building constructed in the 19th century. It stands an incredible 105 meters (344 feet) tall and covers 24,000 square meters (260,000 square feet). For comparison purposes, this is larger than Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica. The site of the building, which provides sweeping views of Brussels, is known as Gallows Hill. In the middle ages, it was the site of criminal executions. The construction of the Palace of Justice was controversial, as 3,000 homes in the city’s poorest area had to be removed. During World War II, fleeing Nazis exploded bombs in the basement and set fire to the structure. This resulted in an extensive damage, including collapse of the dome. Repair of the building took three years and the dome was replaced. The building still functions as the supreme court of law in Belgium with 245 small and 27 large court rooms.

The Infantry Memorial is a monument to the memory of Belgian soldiers who took part in World Wars I and II. The monument represents a symbolic column and a number of soldiers at its foot. Designed by Edouard Vereycken, the Infantry Memorial is also a significant monument in the history of Belgium.

The Cite Hellemans is an architectural complex designed in an Art Nouveau style. Inaugurated in 1915, Hellemans blocks were used as social hostels for a large number of families. Built according to plans drawn up by the architect Emile Hellemans, Hellemans housing estates remain a fine example of the Art Nouveau style.

The Halle Gate is a fortified city gate dating back to the medieval times. It was part of the second walls of Brussels, which were constructed in the late 14th century. The gate’s name comes from the name of the city which the gate faces, Halle. Historically, the gate included a drawbridge over a moat. This is one of seven original gateways, but the last one that remains today. Through time, it was used as a prison, a customs house, for grains storage and even as a church. Belgian architect Henri Beyaert, a prominent architect during the 19th century, undertook a restoration of the building in 1868. His renovation included the addition of neo-Gothic features, turrets and a large roof. In the later part of the1800s, Halle Gate housed items from the Museum of Armor, Antiquity and Ethnology. Additional restorations took place in 1976 when the building was in a state of dangerous disrepair. In 2007 a more ambitious restoration was undertaken, which included opening up of the St. Gilles entrance with the drawbridge feature. The museum has displays on the building’s history, the city of Brussels and the role of the gate and the wall in the defense of the city. Each floor of the museum focuses on a specific historical aspect, from armor and armaments, to the history of trade guilds, to temporary exhibition spaces.