5 incredible UNESCO-listed heritage sites in Belgium

Often overlooked by globetrotters for its European neighbors such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany, Belgium is a treasure trove of history and culture. The city well known for its medieval towns has more than 10 UNESCO-listed sites that are a testament to its intriguing past. 

So, this year, when the idea of embarking on a vacation pops up in your head, forget about booking flight tickets to London, Paris or New York and set forth on an adventure in to the magnificent realm of Belgium. And before you score those cheap tickets online, check out the best heritage sites in Belgium that will sweep you off your feet.

 

La Grand-Place, Brussels 

Nestled in the heart of the Belgian capital Brussels, La Grand-Place is a complex of private and public buildings dating back to the 17th century. Just one look at it will tell you why it is the most sought-after tourist attraction in Brussels. It’s an artistic blend of different architectural styles that are found in the region. The grandiosity of the place accompanied by an incredible design and the friendliness of the locals makes for a truly spellbinding sight. So, get on a last minute flight to Brussels and immerse in the splendor of the timeless La Grand-Place. 

The Historic Center of Bruges 

An exemplary settlement of the medieval times, Bruges is famed for its cobbled streets and historic buildings. It used to be a significant center for trade in the region but the commercial value of the place isn’t what it used to be. However, still marking its cityscape are remnants of the medieval times that narrate the story of the evolution of culture and commerce in the region. Seeing its historical significance, the core of the city was inscribed in to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in the year 2000. 

Well, if La Grand-Place wasn’t enough to convince you to get on a cheap flight to Brussels, here’s another reason for you to finally make that flight reservation – Stoclet House. When Adolphe Stoclet commissioned the Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann to design his home, he probably never thought that it would turn in to something that would fascinate generations. But the thing that Hoffmann created shines even today as a true architectural masterpiece. 

If you look at the map of Belgium, Tournai may appear as a dull city with not much to offer. But it, in fact, is bestowed with one of the most lustrous architectural gems in the country. The place being talked about here is of course the splendid Notre-Dame Cathedral. Built in the first half of the 12th century, the structure exudes the Gothic style of architecture at its best. And on top of that, since no major modifications have taken place in the past centuries, most of what you see here is the original structure. 

Speckling the Flanders region of Belgium, Flemish Béguinages are 13 complexes that used to be enclosed communities for women to find spiritual peace without retiring from the regular life. These are composed of churches, houses, green spaces as well as ancillary buildings built in the style typical to that of the region. These Béguinages were an important part of the culture of northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages where widowed or unmarried women who dedicated their lives to God took shelter here.

 

Now that various airlines are offering flight deals under $199, how many more excuses do you need to finally take your family on that long-awaited vacation?

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