Cirque Royal

The Freedom Quarter (French: Quartier des Libertés; Dutch: Vrijheidswijk) is a quarter of Brussels, Belgium. It was traditionally known as Notre-Dame-aux-Neiges/Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Sneeuw.

The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement , formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and as a cultural community of Belgium (unlike the French Community and Wallonia, which each have separate legislatures: the Parliament of the French Community and the Parliament of Wallonia). The Flemish Parliament approves decrees, which are Flemish laws, applicable to all persons in the Flemish Region, and to Flemish institutions in Brussels; it appoints and supervises the Flemish Government; and it approves the Flemish budget. The Flemish Parliament meets in the Flemish Parliament building in central Brussels, and its members and staff are housed in the House of the Flemish Representatives.

The Palace of the Nation (French: Palais de la Nation, Dutch: Paleis der Natie, German: Palast der Nation) is a neoclassical palace in Brussels, Belgium, housing the Belgian Federal Parliament. The palace was built from 1778 to 1783 to a neoclassical design by the French architect Gilles-Barnabé Guimard and includes sculptures by Gilles-Lambert Godecharle. Under Austrian rule, it housed the Sovereign Council of Brabant before being used as a courthouse during the French period. During the Dutch period, it was one of two homes of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the other being in The Hague. Following Belgian independence in 1830, the Provisional Government of Belgium and Belgian National Congress moved into the building and the first session of the Chamber of Representatives and Senate was held there a year later.The building stands across the street from Brussels Park's northern entrance, near the site of the former palace of the Dukes of Brabant, which was destroyed by fire in 1731, and has itself been badly damaged by fire, in 1820 and 1883. In the 1930s, a bunker was built underneath the park, connected by tunnels to the House of Parliament. This area is served by Brussels Central Station, as well as by the metro stations Parc/Park (on lines 1 and 5) and Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet (on lines 1, 2, 5 and 6).

The Leuven Gate (French: Porte de Louvain; Dutch: Leuvensepoort) was one of the medieval city gates of the second walls of Brussels, Belgium.

The Rue Royale (French, "Royal Street") or Koningsstraat (Dutch, "King's Street") is a street in Brussels, Belgium, running through the municipalities of Schaerbeek, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode and the City of Brussels. It is limited to the south by the Place Royale/Koningsplein in the city centre and to the north by the Place de la Reine/Koninginplein in Schaerbeek. Several places of interest lie along the Rue Royale, for instance the Royal Palace, the Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels Park, the Congress Column, the Botanical Garden of Brussels, Le Botanique concert hall and Saint Mary's Royal Church. In addition, many companies have offices on the street, for instance Accenture and BNP Paribas Fortis as well as the French-speaking Community of Belgium. Two metro stations can be accessed from the Rue Royale: Parc/Park metro station and Botanique/Kruidtuin metro station. The street is continued to the north by the Rue Royale Sainte-Marie/Koninklijke Sinte-Mariastraat and to the south by the Rue de la Régence/Regentschapsstraat. It also crosses the Small Ring at the Botanique crossroad.

The Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria, formerly the Hotel Astoria, is a five-star luxury hotel in the Freedom Quarter of Brussels, Belgium. Built in 1909 for the Brussels International Exposition of 1910, in a true Parisian spirit, the hotel's Louis XVI facade and majestic interior lend it a distinctly aristocratic appearance. It is considered among the finest luxury hotels in the world, and has served as a famous meeting place for kings and other great statesmen and world personalities. The hotel is located at 101–103, rue Royale/Koningsstraat, not far from the Congress Column and Brussels Park. This area is served by Brussels-Congress railway station, the metro stations Parc/Park (on lines 1 and 5) and Botanique/Kruidtuin (on lines 2 and 6), as well as the tram stop Congrès/Congres on lines 92 and 93.

The Federal Parliament is the bicameral parliament of Belgium. It consists of the Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers , French: Chambre des Représentants, German: Abgeordnetenkammer) and the Senate (Dutch: Senaat , French: Sénat, German: Senat). It sits in the Palace of the Nation (French: Palais de la Nation, Dutch: Paleis der Natie, German: Palast der Nation). The Chamber of Representatives is the primary legislative body; the Senate functions only as a meeting place of the federal communities and regions. The Constitution does not mention the Federal Parliament as such; it stipulates that the federal legislative power is exercised by the King and the Chamber of Representatives (and exceptionally the Senate), and defines when the United Chambers convene.

The Senate (Dutch: Senaat, [səˈnaːt] (listen); French: Sénat, [seˈna]; German: Senat) is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the House of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament. Created in 1831 as a chamber fully equal to the Chamber of Representatives, it has undergone several reforms in the past, most notably in 1993 and 2014. The 2014 elections were the first without a direct election of senators. Instead, the new Senate is composed of members of community and regional parliaments and co-opted members. It is a chamber of the communities and regions and serves as a platform for discussion and reflection about matters between these federated entities. The Senate today plays a minor role in the federal legislative process. However, the Senate, together with the Chamber, has full competence for the Constitution and legislation on the organization and functioning of the Federal State and the federated entities. Since the reform of 2014, it holds about ten plenary sessions a year.

The Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers , French: Chambre des représentants, German: Abgeordnetenkammer) is one of the two chambers in the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Senate. It is considered to be the "lower house" of the Federal Parliament.

The Federal Institute for Sustainable Development (FISD) assists the Belgian Federal Government in the preparation and enforcement of policy decisions related to sustainable development.

Madou is a Brussels metro station on the northern segment of lines 2 and 6. is located under the small ring at the Place Madou/Madouplein, near the Flemish Parliament and Madou Plaza Tower, in the municipality of the Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, north of the City of Brussels (Belgium). The station opened on 20 December 1970, then serving as a premetro (underground tram) station, and became a heavy metro station when this line was converted on 2 October 1988. It is named after the painter and lithographer Jean-Baptiste Madou.

The Congress Column (French: Colonne du Congrès, Dutch: Congreskolom) is a monumental column in Brussels, Belgium, which commemorates the creation of the Belgian Constitution by the National Congress of 1830–31. Inspired by Trajan's Column in Rome, it was erected between 1850 and 1859, on the initiative of Charles Rogier according to a design by Joseph Poelaert. At the top of the column is a statue of Belgium's first monarch; King Leopold I, and at its base, the pedestal is surrounded by statues personifying the four freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution. The Belgian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame lies at its foot.The column is located on the Place du Congrès/Congresplein; a small square adjacent to the Rue Royale/Koningsstraat in the Freedom Quarter of Brussels. This area is served by Brussels-Congress railway station, the metro stations Parc/Park (on lines 1 and 5) and Botanique/Kruidtuin (on lines 2 and 6), as well as the tram stop Congrès/Congres on lines 92 and 93.