The Cinquantenaire park of Brussels !!

Posted in Europe, France

I am in a pretty part of Brussels that me and my family enjoyed very much. This is a huge park with lots to see enough for several days really. It is in near city center and known to the  world; let me update this older post to tell you again about the Cinquantenaire park of Brussels !! Hope you enjoy the post as I

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The Cinquantenaire park (or 50th park) was built around a city gate with three arches that the people of Brussels call the Cinquantenaire Arcades. Several museums surround it: the Army Museums, the Aviation Museum, the Automobile Museum,(see posts), and the Royal Museums of Art and History which present vast collections of objects and reconstructions of sites from all continents. You can reach it on metro stations: Merode and Schuman. The esplanade which extends in front of the Palais du Cinquantenaire is regularly used for the organization of events of all kinds: departure and arrival of the 20 km from Brussels a pedestrian race, environmental festival, bicycle festival, concerts, festivals, events, drive-in movie with open-air cinema in July and August.

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I have written on some in my blog but in general these are the building and institutions in or around the park.

The Palaces of the Cinquantenaire: The north wing is occupied by the Army Museum. The northeast hall, by the Aviation Museum. The south wing is occupied by the Royal Museums of Art and History and the molding workshop, which traditionally perpetuates the techniques of reproduction of ancient works. The southeast hall is occupied by the Autoworld, automobile museum. The arcades of the Cinquantenaire. The Royal Institute for Artistic Heritage, avenue de la Renaissance. The Great Mosque and the Islamic Center, inaugurated in 1978, northwest corner. The Pavilion of human passions, one of the first buildings of Victor Horta, built in 1899 in a classical style to house the monumental bas relief of the sculptor Jef Lambeaux Les passions humanes 1886, which evokes the pleasures and misfortunes of humanity. Further statues and sculptures are : The Belgian pioneers in the Congo, this large monument erected in 1921 with a sign placed next to it bears an inscription inspired by the paternalistic mentality of the time. It represents several groups of characters.  The Memorial to fallen airmen, northeast side. The Tournai tower or Beyaert tower, a curious building designed for the national Jubilee exhibition of 1880 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence. Built in 1880 in a pseudo-medieval style, it was intended to demonstrate the qualities of Tournai stone. The sculptures are many but my favorites are The mastiff of Ulm – bronze 1896 and Samson throwing foxes in the fields of the Philistines stone of 1878.

A bit of history I like tell us that at the end of the 19C, newly independent Belgium was in full economic and industrial boom. King Leopold II, joined by the ruling bourgeoisie, has the will to equip Brussels with prestigious infrastructures, parks and monuments worthy of a capital. With the approach of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1830 revolution which led to Belgian independence, the choice of a site to organize the celebrations fell on the field of maneuvers of the Brussels garrison located on the territory of the town of Etterbeek in the axis of the rue de la Loi which rises in the historic district of Brussels. Annexed to the city of Brussels, the place is arranged for the jubilee of the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence in 1880.

A second exhibition and a Great International Science and Industry Competition were organized in 1888. the project of concentrating in one place all the knowledge of the nation in a Palace of the Cinquantenaire. It was built with two buildings connected to each other by semicircular colonnades with in the center a temporary arcade with a single arc. The set is oriented on an axis, facing the perspective of the Royal Palace (see post) and the center of the city, and behind which begins the avenue de Tervueren, 10 km long, which the king will trace to connect the city to the castle and royal domain. The layout of the park is designed to accommodate the exhibitors’ pavilions.

For the 1897 World Fair, additional buildings were added, including the monumental glass halls placed on either side of a large courtyard or esplanade located behind the arcade. It was inaugurated in 1905 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Belgium. The three arches of the same width and height form a sort of triumphal arch surmounted by an imposing bronze quadriga representing Brabant standing on a chariot drawn by four horses and which brandishes a flag. At the foot of the columns, the other eight provinces are represented.

The Brussels tourist office on the Parc du Cinquantenaire : https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/venue-details.Cinquantenaire-Park.235980

The Gardens of Brussels site on the Parc du Cinquantenaire : https://gardens.brussels/fr/espaces-verts/parc-du-cinquantenaire

In 2030, will be the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Belgium and the 150th anniversary of the Cinquantenaire. This is the official site for the celebration : https://cinquantenaire.brussels/fr/bienvenue

There you go folks , a wonderful park for walks and sightseeing galore you will have your hands full just in the Parc du Cinquantenaire park alone. It is recommended when in Brussels. Again, hope you have enjoy the post as I.

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

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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