The Atomium

Last week I had the opportunity to rediscover some of the more touristy areas of Brussels with my 8 year old nephew who was here for a weeks holiday.

One of the places we visited was the Atomium. This strange structure, composed of 9 huge balls representing an atom of iron, was built exactly 50 years ago, when Expo58 was held in Brussels.



You can go all the way up to the top, where there is also a restaurant - not recommended though - and look out over a good part of the north of Brussels. Interactive screens are supposed to let you zoom in for a closer view and point out landmarks, but when we were there they weren't really working.



4 other balls are open to visits, but don't really offer any interesting features, a part from a few exhibits about the construction and history of the Atomium.

What is impressive are the stairs and escalators that link the balls to one another. To reach the top ball, a lift with a see-through roof whizzes upwards at a pretty dizzying speed too.



I was glad we went on a week day, as it wasn't too crowded and we were able to enjoy the views. I wouldn't want to go there in high season, though. Lol.