Troy standing (in shock!) in front of The Atomium
Constructed as part of the 1958 Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, (aka Expo 58 aka The World's Fair) The Atomium is essentially a super gigantic atom. It is supposed to represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. (For real, I did not make up that number.) Standing 102 meters (~335 feet) high, it is a shiny aluminum-clad steel structure that is as much sculpture as building. The 1958 World's Fair was the first one held after WWII, and the expo came at the height of 50's optimism in "better living through chemistry." Hence, the giant atom.
Constructed as part of the 1958 Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, (aka Expo 58 aka The World's Fair) The Atomium is essentially a super gigantic atom. It is supposed to represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. (For real, I did not make up that number.) Standing 102 meters (~335 feet) high, it is a shiny aluminum-clad steel structure that is as much sculpture as building. The 1958 World's Fair was the first one held after WWII, and the expo came at the height of 50's optimism in "better living through chemistry." Hence, the giant atom.
One of the Art Deco buildings on the Expo grounds. They pre-date the exhibition by ~25 years.
Architecture buffs will love wasting time on the Atomium's website. There is an incredible interactive map of the exhibition grounds. Click on a sector, mouse over a building footprint to see what country it represents, then click on the building you wish to see. There are photographs, sketches, and/or models of each country's national pavilion. Two of my favorites are Thailand and Norway (I have eclectic taste), while Austria is my stock image of an ugly 50s building, my apologies to its architects.
Knowing that a visitor someday will probably want to go up in The Atomium, we confined our visit to the grounds. There was an interesting photo exhibit showing the various national pavilions at the time of their construction, though sadly none remain. Such a waste. However, there is a new pavilion-esque sculpture/building made of yellow beer crates that kind of resemble giant Legos. Full of cultural references, it manages to be subtly mocking while staying light-hearted.
Architecture buffs will love wasting time on the Atomium's website. There is an incredible interactive map of the exhibition grounds. Click on a sector, mouse over a building footprint to see what country it represents, then click on the building you wish to see. There are photographs, sketches, and/or models of each country's national pavilion. Two of my favorites are Thailand and Norway (I have eclectic taste), while Austria is my stock image of an ugly 50s building, my apologies to its architects.
Knowing that a visitor someday will probably want to go up in The Atomium, we confined our visit to the grounds. There was an interesting photo exhibit showing the various national pavilions at the time of their construction, though sadly none remain. Such a waste. However, there is a new pavilion-esque sculpture/building made of yellow beer crates that kind of resemble giant Legos. Full of cultural references, it manages to be subtly mocking while staying light-hearted.
The Pavilion de Bonheur
A friterie (French fry stand) near The Atomium
From The Atomium grounds, we wandered through some of the nearby parks, which we learned were formerly royal estates. We eventually got back on the metro, and rode it down to the Sainte-Catherine area of town. Known as the Marché aux Poissons and built on the former site of Brussels' harbor (sadly, it was demolished in 1870 when the River Senne was filled in), the area is now the fish and seafood district of Brussels. Since it was only about 5 pm, we opted to tour the square and scope out potential restaurants for future visits, all the while eating really amazing ice cream that we purchased from an artisanal chocolatier -- ice cream made by a fancy chocolate-maker, does it get better?
As the sun dipped behind the buildings, and the temperature started falling with it, we knew it was time to go home. A lovely way to say goodbye to summer.
From The Atomium grounds, we wandered through some of the nearby parks, which we learned were formerly royal estates. We eventually got back on the metro, and rode it down to the Sainte-Catherine area of town. Known as the Marché aux Poissons and built on the former site of Brussels' harbor (sadly, it was demolished in 1870 when the River Senne was filled in), the area is now the fish and seafood district of Brussels. Since it was only about 5 pm, we opted to tour the square and scope out potential restaurants for future visits, all the while eating really amazing ice cream that we purchased from an artisanal chocolatier -- ice cream made by a fancy chocolate-maker, does it get better?
As the sun dipped behind the buildings, and the temperature started falling with it, we knew it was time to go home. A lovely way to say goodbye to summer.
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