The Atomium

The Atomium is the gleaming symbol of modern Brussels, a monument built for the 1958 World's Fair in the shape of a single iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Its nine great stainless-steel spheres, linked by tubes containing escalators and stairs, rise over a hundred metres, and visitors travel between them to exhibitions and a panoramic restaurant in the topmost sphere.

History

The Atomium was built as the main pavilion and symbol of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, its nine spheres modelling nine iron atoms of a crystal magnified 165 billion times, to celebrate the atomic age and the peaceful use of atomic research. The engineer André Waterkeyn of Fabrimétal presented the first project in January 1955, and the architects André and Jean Polak turned it into a building; the lift in its central tube was the fastest in Europe when installed, carrying 22 people to the top in 23 seconds, and wind-tunnel tests led to support columns being added under the three lower outer spheres (Wikipedia, Atomium).

What you'll find

• The steel spheres - the nine gleaming spheres of the giant crystal.
• The panoramic sphere - the top sphere with views over Brussels.
• The connecting tubes - the escalators and stairs linking the spheres.
• Mini-Europe - the park of European landmarks in miniature nearby.

When to go

Year-round; a mostly indoor attraction, good in any weather, and lit strikingly after dark. It sits away from the centre near the Heysel exhibition grounds, easily reached by metro.

Practical notes

It sits away from the historic centre, so it takes a metro trip, and the interior exhibitions are modest for the ticket price; the draw is the structure and the view. It is a mid-century icon rather than an ancient monument. It pairs well with the Mini-Europe park next door for families.

Nearby

Mini-Europe and the Heysel grounds are alongside; central Brussels is a metro ride away.

Key facts