Up among the various civil buildings in Brussels is the
Congress Column, a memorial to Belgian independence. At the top stands a statue of
King Leopold I, the first Belgian king. He was crowned in 1831; the column was completed in 1859. It stands rather majestically looking over the lower half of the city.
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| The Congress Column, Brussels |
It is also a war memorial dedicated to the soldiers who died in World War I and World War II. An unknown soldier from WWI was buried there November 11, 1922. At the base is an eternal flame commemorating all the soldier who died.
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| Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |
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| Eternal Flame |
Statues surround the pedestal. They represent various freedoms (of the Press, Religion, Education, and Association) won in the early 1800s when Belgium gained its independence.
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| Freedom of Religion (?) |
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| Freedom of Education (?) |
Nearby is the main cathedral for Brussels, and indeed for all of Belgium. We'll see that in the next post!
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