Atomium

The Atomium was created in 1958 for the opening of the World's Fair "Expo-58." This futuristic structure symbolizes the atomic age, the great potential of nuclear energy, and its peaceful application for scientific purposes. André Waterkeyn, a Belgian civil engineer, was the designer, and construction began in 1957 under the supervision of architects André and Jean Polak. Originally, the structure was covered in aluminum, but during a restoration in 2006, it was re-clad with a steel shell. The Atomium was not meant to remain after the fair, but it became one of Brussels' most visited attractions. During the day, the steel "atoms" shine in the sun, and in the evening, they are illuminated with colored lights.

The structure consists of nine spheres ("atoms") which are connected in a construction representing a cubic segment of an iron crystal lattice. The Atomium is 102 meters tall, weighs about 2,400 tons, and each of the nine spheres has a diameter of 18 meters. Six of them are accessible to visitors. The spheres are connected by 23-meter-long tubes containing escalators and connecting corridors. There are a total of 20 connecting tubes. The central tube houses an elevator that can lift visitors to the restaurant and observation deck in the top sphere in 25 seconds.

At the base of the Atomium in Bruparck lies Mini-Europe – an amazing park where one can briefly glimpse famous European structures at a 1:25 scale.

The very top sphere on level 8 houses the panoramic restaurant Belgium Taste, which offers breathtaking views. Inside, there is also a Children's Sphere - an educational project for children that hosts parties, entertainment, and sleepovers for kids.

On the lower levels, temporary exhibitions are held. There is also a permanent exhibition that tells the 60-year history of this pavilion and how it has become a symbol of Brussels and Belgium over time. Archival documents and photographs from "Expo-58" are preserved here.

This park features the most popular attractions: the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Arc de Triomphe, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and others. Additionally, the park has many moving objects – windmills, high-speed trains, cars, and gondolas in Venice.

Visitors can also watch events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the eruption of Vesuvius, and a bullfight in Seville. Mini-Europe contains about 350 monuments and 80 cities, reproduced with high accuracy. Some models cost hundreds of thousands of euros to create. At night, all exhibits are illuminated, making them look even more realistic.