train station

Gare centrale

by Vincent
written by Vincent

Gare de Bruxelles Central, or in English the Brussels Central train station was opened in 1952. Initially designed by the famous Belgian architect Victor Horta it was Maxime Brunfaut who finished it according to his plans after he died in 1947. With 140 000 daily passengers it is the busiest of all railway stations in Brussels.


Just in front of the main entrance

view from the inside

ticket office and schedules for departures

Walking down to a lower level

Here at the lowest level where the trains are

The train station has six tracks

The walk from the train station to the Brussels central subway station

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nightlife

Extended Celtica session

by Vincent
written by Vincent

The last few survivors left sitting at the bar downstairs after a long Thursday night at the Celtica Irish pub: A dozing off African man, a Swede and a Norwegian.

Early morning closing time in Celtica Irish pub in the 2007

Looking around in the back a few more in a not so great shape

Sleeping on a table in Celtica pub drunk Brussels
Sleeping on a table in Celtica pub drunk in Brussels
Customer sleeping on a table in Celtica pub drunk Brussels drunk
Customer sleeping on a table in Celtica pub drunk Brussels drunk
laying on a bench sleeping at Celtica pub Brussels in end of 2000's
Drunk finding a better position to sleep on the bench at Celtica Pub Brussels

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place

Place du Petit Sablon

by Vincent
written by Vincent

Place du Petit Sablon, this lovely little miniature garden was built in 1890 and is fenced by a magnificent rough-iron gate that is topped by 48 Paul Hankar designed bronze statues. Each one of them represent one of the Medieval arts and crafts of Brussels. Identifying each and every one of them is quite a task since most have died out. Among others you will find tallow makers, pin & belt makers, arquebusiers and linen croppers. Inside the Gardens you will find statues of the Counts of Egmont and Hornes.

The entrance of Place du Petit Sablon with some statues representing the guilds of Brussels

Some more of the 48 Medieval arts and crafts statues that surround the garden

As you enter the Garden

People having one of their usual extended sit-downs in the garden for a pleasant chat

The statues are in honor to the Counts of Egmont and Hornes

The represent their resistance to Spanish invasion and tyranny. They were sentenced and decapitated by the Duke of Alba in 1568 for it

Details at the base of the statue

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Square

Square Marie-Louise

by Vincent
written by Vincent

Square Marie-Louise has its own impressive sized lake surrounded by a little park. it’s in fact one of the only six ponds left in the city of Brussels.

A large sized fountain is found in the middle of the pond

walking around the pond

Statue of a naked woman surrounded by flowers

Closer look

Zooming in on the fountain

back on our walk around the park

Multi colored flowers

Statue of Lt General Bernheim a WWI Hero

The pond viewed by the side

Relaxing on a bench

This beautiful statue from was a gift from sculptor Marius Vos which stands among blooming trees and flowers

The statue ‘Naissance d’une Nation’ or in English Birth of a Nation which won the gold medal at the international exhibit in Paris in 1937

Elderly men having a discussion

Pigeons being fed bread crumbs on the grass

Among trees

Foutain and rock structure in the back of the pond

 

 

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