Grand Place | Brussels, Belgium

The Grand Place is the central square of Brussels. It's amazing. So amazing, in fact, that the Grand Place was voted the most beautiful square in Europe in 2010. The square is outlined with guildhalls that throughout history were used as markets.  The city's Town Hall and Breadhouse make up the rest of the square. The Grand Place was destroyed by the French army in 1695 and later rebuilt by the city's guilds. The reconstruction was regulated by the local government to ensure that the distinct Gothic, Baroque, and Louis XIV styled buildings came together in an aesthetically pleasing way. The result is a perfectly imperfect town square.

-Amanda