Explore Brussels Full Day Private Tour

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region and the capital of Belgium. Besides the strict centre, it also covers the immediate northern outskirts where it borders municipalities in Flanders. It is the administrative centre of the European Union, thus often dubbed, along with the region, the EU's capital city. The City of Brussels is a municipality consisting of the central historic town and certain additional areas within the greater Brussels-Capital Region, namely Haren, Laeken and Neder-Over-Heembeek to the north, as well as Avenue Louise/Louizalaan and the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos park to the south. As of 1 January 2017, the City of Brussels had a total population of 176,545. The total area is 32.61 km2 which gives a population density of 5,475 inhabitants per square kilometre. As of 2007, there were approximately 50,000 registered non-Belgians in the City of Brussels. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French-Dutch).

The Grand Place or Grote Markt is the central square of Brussels, Belgium. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices; the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building containing the Brussels City Museum.

Brussels Park is the largest urban public park in central Brussels, Belgium. Formerly known as the Royal Park, it was also the city's first public park. The area of the rectangular park is 13.1 ha.

The Town Hall of the City of Brussels is a Gothic building from the Middle Ages. It is located on the famous Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium, opposite the Brussels City Museum. It is the only remaining medieval building of the Grand Place and is considered a masterpiece of civil Gothic architecture and more particularly of Brabantine Gothic.

After the commercial and leisure activities of the Quai du Commerce and Quai aux Barques, the port of Brussels at one time stretched right into the heart of the city, with its longest dock representing the furthest extent of the historic port, at the site where St Catherine’s Church stands today. A swing bridge separated Bassin des Barques (‘Boat Dock’) from Bassin des Marchands (‘Merchants Dock’). These long wharfs were the setting for the life of the city: deals were done and there was intense activity. Even today, there are numerous shops, food businesses and restaurants on Quai au Bois à Brûler (‘Firewood Wharf’) and Quai aux Briques (‘Brick Wharf’), adjoining the Fish Market. Port activities carried on here until the early 20th century, when the docks were filled in. St Catherine’s Church was built on the site of St Catherine’s Dock between 1854 and 1874.

The Mont des Arts or Kunstberg, meaning "hill/mount of the arts", is an urban complex and historic site in the centre of Brussels, Belgium, including the Royal Library of Belgium, the National Archives of Belgium, the Square – Brussels Meeting Centre, and a public garden. This site is located between Rue Montagne de la Cour/Hofbergstraat and the Coudenberg in its 'upper' part, and Boulevard de l'Empereur/Keizerslaan and the Place de l'Albertine/Albertinaplein in its 'lower' part. It is served by Brussels Central Station.

Located on the south side of the Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park) in the high part of town, the Royal Palace of Brussels (called in French the Palais Royal de Bruxelles) is one of the most famous buildings in the Belgian capital. The Royal Palace is where the King of Belgium exercises his authority as Head of State and is the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium. It also houses rooms for the country’s special guests, most of which are Heads of State and the offices of certain ministries. The palace has not been the official royal residence since 1831, when the King of Belgium decided to move to the Royal Palace of Laeken, in the outskirts of Brussels.

The Palace of Justice of Brussels or Law Courts of Brussels is the most important court building in Belgium. It is located on the Place Poelaert/Poelaertplein in the Marolles/Marollen district of Brussels. Built between 1866 and 1883 by the celebrated architect Joseph Poelaert in the eclectic style, the building is reputed to be the largest constructed in the 19th century and is a notable landmark of Brussels. The total cost of the construction, land and furnishings was somewhere in the region of 45 million Belgian francs. This site is served by Louise/Louiza metro station (on lines 2 and 6 of the Brussels metro), and tram lines 92 and 94. From the lower part of town, it is also possible to take a lift called Ascenseur (Lift) des Marolles to access it.