Audrae, The Smile Giver: 10 Reasons WHY I LOVE LAKEN, MY HOME

1) Museum of the Far East

The Museum of the Far East is located in the Chinese Pavilion, near the Royal Greenhouses. The museum's collections include those of Chinese porcelain, the architectural achievements of King Leopold II and other objects representing Japanese art. The Museum of the Far East is not only an intriguing sight, it is also an architectural hotspot in Laken Park.

2) Belvedere Castle

The Belvedere Castle was built in 1788 by the architect Tournai Auguste Payen. The Castle served as the main residence of Prince Albert of Belgium and his wife. The Belgian Royal castle, Belvedere, remains a significant edifice and an attractive landmark in Laken Park.

3) Winter Garden

The Winter Garden is also a greenhouse on the Laken park grounds. It was built in 1874-1876 according to the plan drawn up by the architect Alphonse Balat. The Winter Garden was the first garden among all the greenhouses and its dimensions are significant. Due to this, the garden is able to host some of the most beautiful species of palms and other plants.

Image Courtesy of Mom.

4) Pier Greenhouse

The Pier is one of the Royal Greenhouses, built in 1886-1887 as the structure where the King received guests. Constructed in glass and metal, the Pier has two significant statues by Charles Van der Stappen. Containing a wide variety of plants, the Pier remains a magnificent greenhouse and a perfectly interesting piece of architecture.

Image Courtesy of Spigoo & Mom

5) Leopold I Monument

Situated on the opposite side of the Royal Castle of Laken, the Monument to Leopold I commemorates the life of the courageous king of Belgium. The monument was designed in a Neo-gothic style by the architect Louis De Curte. Constructed from nine bays, the monument has in its center the figure of Lepold I.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia & Mom

6) Royal Castle of Laken

The Royal Castle of Laken is the official residence of the King of the Belgians. The castle was built at Laken between 1782-1784 after the plans of the French architect Charles de Wailly under supervision of Louis Montoyer as a summer residence for the Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands, Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria and her husband Albert of Saxe-Teschen. On 21 July 1803, Nicolas-Jean Rouppe, as commissioner of the department of the Dijle, received Napoleon at the Castle of Laken. Napoleon stayed here with his Empress in August 1804. The Château was partly destroyed by fire in 1890 and rebuilt by Alphonse Balat. The French architect Charles Girault gave it its present outline in 1902. Upon their accession to the throne in 1993, King Albert II and Queen Paola preferred to remain living at Belvédère, a château on the grounds of the park surrounding the castle. Image courtesy of Wikipedia & Mommy.

7) Laken Cemetery

The Laeken Cemetery (Cimetière de Laeken, Begraafplaats van Laken), located in Laeken in the northern part of Brussels, is one of the major cemeteries in Belgium. The cemetery houses very fine examples of nineteenth-century funerary art and also features an original bronze cast of Auguste Rodin's Thinker, purchased in 1927 by the antiquarian and art collector Jef Dillen to use as his own memorial. Next to the entrance, there is a small museum dedicated to the sculptor Ernest Salu (1845-1923) and his successors. Many of the monuments that embellish the cemetery are products of the Salu workshop.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Karl Stas

8) Church of Our Lady of Laken

The Church of Our Lady of Laeken (Église Notre-Dame de Laeken, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk van Laken) is a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church in Laeken, Brussels. It was originally built in memory of Queen Louise-Marie, wife of King Leopold I to the design of architect Joseph Poelaert. Louise-Marie died in Ostend in 1850 and wished to be buried in Laeken. The nearby Royal Castle of Laeken was, and still is, the royal residence. Leopold I wished the church to be constructed in her memory and as a mausoleum for her. The young architect Joseph Poelaert was chosen to design the new church. The first stone was laid by Leopold I in 1854. The church was consecrated in 1872, but not completed until 1909 after a lengthy interruption of the work. The crypt holds the tombs of the Belgian royal family, including those of all the former Belgian kings. Image courtesy of Mommy.

9. The ATomium, Mini-Europe, Bruparck , Kinepolis

The Bruparck is home to our fave Tex Mex Resto-Los Tacos

It is home to my fave fastfood chain too-Quick!

It is home to Belgium's famous Mini-Europe too! There you will see all miniature historical monuments all over Europe. It's really fun. I had a chance to go there with Mama G & Auntie Den last year. I hope I could go back there with my Dad. Oh well, since its just 3 minutes away from home , I guess it wouldn't be too difficiult. Plus, the weather is getting better these days so I know I can convince Dad easily.

Moi inside the Mini-Europe Theme Park

Quick has a big outdoor playground---me likey!

and they have this carousel too!

(The brick house at the background is Quick)

I love the Atomium! Good thing it's just near our home, we can go there anytime we want. :)

Atomium: Brussel's Eiffel Tower, the Atomium was originally built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. It is is one of the most visited attractions in Brussels today. It is beside the King Baudouin Stadium in Heysel Park. Just next to it lies the Mini-Europe park, and the Bruparck.

Mini-Europe : Mini Europe is a miniature village theme park inside Bruparck with shrunken monuments and key buildings from across the EU all in one place.

Bruparck: Home to The Village (where there are shops & cool restaurants), Oceade (sub-tropical waterpark)

Kinepolis : where I first watched a movie. They have the best moviehouses in Belgium, with state of the art facilities and the snacks they sell (especially the nachos) ...are the best!

10. HOME SWEET HOME.