Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well I really love all sports and watch on TV even pétanque and darts competitions …I am sure not the only one around here… When in cities love to find them and in Brussels there was no exception. Even if could not get close enough, the idea of having a picture of the Stade Roi Baudouin stadium of Brussels prompted me to write this post. Hope you enjoy it as I.

The Roi Baudouin Stadium, first called Centenary Stadium and sometimes Jubilee Stadium before 1945 and then Heysel Stadium until 1993, is a multi-sport stadium, often referred to as the “National Stadium”. The stadium is located in Brussels on the Heysel plateau, on the territory of the Laeken section. It rubs shoulders with the Atomium , the Brussels exhibition center, Kinepolis, Océade and Mini-Europe. The Royal Belgian Union of Association Football Societies and the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee have their headquarters nearby.

A bit of history I like, tells us that in 1926, the Belgian State ceded to the city of Brussels many lands close to the royal property of Laeken and having belonged to King Leopold II. The city of Brussels decides to erect a new exhibition complex of international stature there, in order to replace the Cinquantenaire park which has become too cramped ,The Centenaire stadium, the first version of the King Baudouin stadium, was inaugurated on August 23, 1930 by the Prince Leopold at the World Track Cycling Championships. Following the Heysel tragedy in 1985, and in order to host Euro 2000, the city of Brussels and the Belgian State completely renovated the stadium during the early 1990s. Once again, the stadium’s destiny was linked to that of the royal family, in fact, in 1993, King Baudouin I died and it was decided that the new den of the Red Devils would bear his name: the King Baudouin stadium.

The stadium renovation project for 2022 which bears the name of “Golden Generation Arena”, enjoys the support of UEFA and the IAAF, as well as all the political parties of the country, In February 2021, the The stadium’s renovation deadline was set at 2027. The site is served by line 6 of the Brussels metro at Heysel or Roi Bauduoin stations, Tram 7 (Heysel stop), Tram 9,51,93 (Stade stop) and Tram 9 (stop King Baudouin). By road the best is to get on the ring road of Brussels R20 Bd Leopold II and get your bearing gps on stadium king Baudouin. The picture I have above is from the top of the Atomium (see post) which is nearby. 

The site also includes a second stadium Stade Victor Boin, which retains the familiar nickname “Petit Heysel”, although its architecture has nothing to do with the main stadium.

The official Stade Roi Baudouin : http://www.prosportevent.be/le-stade/

The City of Brussels on sports installations : https://www.brussels.be/sports-halls-and-stadiums

There you go folks, a nice stopover in pretty Brussels, and see a wonderful sporting facility, the Stade Roi Baudouin stadium. An off the beaten path visit and worth it me think. Hope you enjoy the post as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Well this is one of the anecdotes of doing lots of road warrior trips, this time on foot. As said in many previous posts, I like to go by car to visit a place, but then do the footing all over and we can go the distance!! My dear late wife Martine always said, that they can fall in sewer hole and I won’t notice because I am walking ahead and ahead no stop !

Well , let me tell you about Bonnevoie in Luxembourg City do not ask me how I end here but heck I do walk…. Bonnevoie is a whole district that is part of Luxembourg City. It is divided into two sections:

Bonnevoie-Nord is one of the 24 districts of Luxembourg City. It is located just east of the Gare district (train station area). Bonnevoie was a fortified part of the city, partly destroyed in 1807 by an explosion of powder. It confines around the other neighborhoods of Pulvermühl ,Bonnevoie-Sud, the Gare and Grund.

The Bonnevoie-Sud is also one of the 24 districts of Luxembourg City. It is located on border of the capital city. It borders Bonnevoie-Nord, Pulvermühl and Hamm , Gasperich and the Gare. The origin of Bonnevoie dates back to a monastery of Cistercian nuns founded in the 12C and dissolved towards the end of the 18C. The district developed very quickly after the connection to the Grand Duchy railway network and the opening of the first train station in 1859. , A few years after the end of WWII the construction of the current Church Marie Queen of Peace began. Popular for its proximity to the train station district and the city center.

The Rotondes des chemin de fer at Rue de Bonnevoie dates from the 19C which you reach by a pedestrian bridge on the side of the train station. They served as garage for the locomotives and now one of them is use for cultural events.

The city of Luxembourg on its districts such as Bonnevoie: https://www.vdl.lu/en/city/glance/luxembourg-citys-24-districts

The Just Arrived site on city living in Bonnevoie: https://www.justarrived.lu/en/housing-of-luxembourg/housing-which-district-to-choose-in-luxembourg/bonnevoie/

There you go folks, we do walk I guess. And end up in parts of the city off the beaten path of many visitors, that is the fun of travel actually! It is actually on the residential side of the Gare or train station of Luxembourg Ville (see post). Hope you enjoy the post and do walk….the beat in the city…

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!