Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Brussels, Belgium

The capital of European Union

Snapshots by  
Popi Nicolaides
Writes from Nicosia, Cyprus

The magnificent Royal Palace was built in the 19th century as the official residence of the Belgian Royal family.
Brussels, officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region is the capital city of the European Union (EU). The metropolitan area has a population of over 1.8 million, making it the largest in Belgium. Its hosting of principal EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has made the city a home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.
Voula Firipi, Eleftheria, Antonis and Thodoris under the Euro, while Charles Buls, burgomaster, councilor, architect and superintendent of schools, in the downtown area with Popi!

The cosmopolitan atmosphere of Brussels is further enhanced by picturesque medieval streets, lively squares, beautiful boulevards, impressive monuments and an active cultural life.
Brussels, is the second international city in the world, as measured by the number of headquarters of international organizations.
About one hundred secondary school students and teachers from the 27 EU Member States came to Brussels on 15-17 April, 2010 to participate in a simulated plenary session, a big role-play organised by the European Economic and Social Committee. (Photo:Irini Pari and Haris Xiroudakis with European delegates).
Students from Nicosia, Cyprus.
A unique opportunity to meet people from other European state members.
Aris Kyprianou, Natasa Mavromati and Chistina Ioanou discovering the city of Brussels.
Christina, Aris and Natasa ready for a sightseeing tour on bikes.
The King’s House in French, and in Flemish Broodhuis (Bread House). Once it was the administrative offices of Charles V. It hosts the Museum of the City of Brussels.
Brussels is more than a 1000 years old.
Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants.

One of Europe's more beautiful squares. The Grand Place is the heart of Brussels and has been since the Middle Ages. It is surrounded by richly decorated 17th-century Baroque Guildhouses, various Neo-Gothic buildings and museums.
The town hall is a magnificent Gothic building that dominates the square.
Brussels’ city hall is rated as the most splendid civic building in Europe.
Βρυξέλλες, η πρωτεύουσα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης
Της Πόπης Νικολαΐδου
Γράφει από τη Λευκωσία, Κύπρο

Οι Βρυξέλλες, η πρωτεύουσα το Βελγίου και της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, δεν χρειάζονται και ιδιαίτερες συστάσεις, ιδιαίτερα για τους Ευρωπαίους.

Το σήμα κατατεθέν της πόλης το «L' Atomium», που αναπαριστά ένα άτομο κρυστάλλου του σιδήρου. Κατασκευάστηκε για τις ανάγκες της διεθνούς έκθεσης του 1958. (Φώτο: Βούλα Φιριπή από Θεσσαλονίκη).
Στις Βρυξέλλες εδρεύουν δύο από τα κεντρικά όργανα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης: η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή και το Συμβούλιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Στην πόλη εδρεύει - πολιτικά - και το ΝΑΤΟ.
Ο εντυπωσιακός Γοτθικός καθεδρικός ναός του Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ.
Το διάσημο αγαλματάκι που κάνει και αυτό το "πιπί" του και αποτελεί μέρος από τα αξιοθέατα της πόλης.
Στην πλατεία-σύμβολο των Βρυξελλών. Η Grote Markt ή Grand Place που αποτελεί την καρδιά του Βελγίου από το 12ο αιώνα.
Στην ιστορική πλατεία της πόλης, το μέγαρο της συντεχνίας των αρτοποιών, όπου στεγάζεται το Café Roy d' Espange, «κερδίζει» τις εντυπώσεις.
Νύχτα και μέρα γεμάτη κόσμο η πλατεία. Διάφορες εκδηλώσεις οργανώνονται πολύ συχνά εδώ.

Η Χριστίνα και ο Άρης φαίνονται ικανοποιημένοι από την πρώτη τους γνωριμία με την πόλη.
Πόλη με ιστορία πάνω από 100 χρόνια γεμάτη μνημεία, ιστορικά κτίρια με πλούσια αρχιτεκτονική.
Νατάσα, Πόπη και Χριστίνα απολαμβάνουν τις ομορφιές της πόλης.
Ο Άρης, η Χριστίνα και η Νατάσα κινούνται άνετα στους δρόμους των Βρυξελλών.
Στην πολυσύχναστη οδό Rue des Bouchers, σ’ ένα από τα εξαιρετικά εστιατόρια, που μας φιλοξένησε ο φίλος Μαρίνος Ιωαννίδης, που εργάζεται στις Βρυξέλλες.
Στην Μεγάλη Πλατεία των Βρυξελλών το κτίριο του Δημαρχείου πραγματικά εντυπωσιάζει.
Η πόλη των Βρυξελλών θεωρείται πρωτεύουσα της σοκολάτας και της μπίρας, του καφέ και της αρ νουβό, του σουρεάλ και των κόμικ!
Η πιο γνωστή πλατεία της πόλης, η Grand Place, η πλακόστρωτη πλατεία, με τα γύρω μεγάλα  κτίρια, μοναδικά δείγματα της αναγεννησιακής αρχιτεκτονικής.
Το Manneken-Pis (Μάνεκεν-Πι) συμβολίζει ένα μικρό αγόρι που, όταν έφταναν ξένοι εισβολείς, σκαρφάλωνε στα δέντρα και τους έδιωχνε κάνοντας «πιπί».
View Video: Brussels

25 comments:

Helen said...

I thoroughly enjoyed this ... I have been fortunate to visit both Brussels and Bruge ... would love to travel back. But must get to Greece first !!!!!

DUTA said...

This post with its attached pictures brought back to me lovely memories from my own visit to Bruxelles. Thank you !

Shionge said...

I remembered Brussel so well and it is great to see all the familiar places :) I hope I get to visit again esp. since the last town I went was back in 1990 :)

magiceye said...

thank you for the lovely virtual tour of beautiful brussels

IrinaBohemianDance said...

Hello,Phivos!

Beautiful all these photos!

In 2000 I was in Belgium and I visited Ostend,Brugge and Waregem.Beautiful country!!

Have a great day,

Irina

obermenzinger said...

Hello Cyprus,
great what you have seen and done in Brussels. We are looking forward to meet you, when our common project "EUSOLA - European Solidarity in Action" will be accepted.
Greetings from Munich!
ULI Besirske

Shanti said...

nice city. I've visited Bruxelles in 2007. A lot of wonderful places to be seen there.

Cheryl said...

Brussels is magnificent! I haven't been yet but I'd love to. Great photos! Popi looks fantastic!
:):)

Gutsy Living said...

I lived in Brussels and worked as a "stagiaire," at the EEC headquarters in 1978. I loved tha atmosphere of town and the meetings held at the EEC, but not the cold in winter. Wonderful photos.

Anonymous said...

What a nice way to honor teachers and students. Popi looks quite at home. Her photos do justice to this interesting city.

María said...

Unas imágenes muy bellas, y qué lugar más bello.

Saludos.

Mimi said...

Lovely post, with great pictures.
Im very familiar with Brussels, my friend lives there, so I visit once a year.
Shopping in Brussels is great too!

Couture Carrie said...

Gorgeous post!
What amazing photos!

xoxox,
CC

Lily said...

very interesting!

Formerly known as Frau said...

Looks beautiful there...I wish i had to me to go there before we move back to America. Perhaps in the future after I see Greece first of coarse!

Anonymous said...

Hi, We had a fantastic time in Brussels, your blog captures and reminds us of every moment.
Thank you, Natasa

mermaid gallery said...

how very interesting...loved the idea of sightseeing on bikes...that must have been fun! Beautiful city...thanks for showing us! best, Susan

Albert Lázaro-Tinaut said...

Good! Brussels is a very cosmopolit capital.
Regards.

شَــــذَا رُوْحٍــــــيُ said...

Hi my friend

Bravo, very nice Post

The beautiful images

Always distinguished

Lau Milesi said...

Hi Phivos, I loved Bruxelas. I´ve visited Bruxelas on september, last year.I loved Brugge too. I´ve some pictures at Mini-Europ and in front of the monument Atomium. I have lunch at the restaurant and I enjoyed a lot.
I ate a lot of Godiva too.[lol]

I loved your post
A big hug from Rio

E.T. I did some posts about my trip to Brussels, Amsterdam and Veneza. You can see in my blog.

Ellie Great said...

Nice post great photos. I enjoyed.

Anonymous said...

Hi rakas friend.Brussels is fantastic.Nice waching these photos.
thanks!:)

Jennifer Godshalk Artist said...

Hey, that king's house looks just like mine!! LOL!! Just kidding! Looks like a great time and your family is so beautiful!

kyllimarjaana said...

Hei , mita kuuluu Phivos .
What a nice tour and beautiful POPI .

MedaM said...

It is so beautiful, interesting and inviting old city full of impressive buildings and wonderful places worth to be seen. Thanks for sharing this fantastic collection of photos.