Is there a capital city in Europe? Definitely not. Europe is not a country, how can it have a capital? But after the establishment of the European Union, if it is difficult to say that Europe has a capital, then this capital is in Brussels, Belgium. The reason is that three of the EU's four main institutions are in Brussels, namely the European Council, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, while the fourth institution, the European The European Parliament also has a branch in Brussels. Why is the capital of the European Union located in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, rather than the capitals of other countries?

This starts with the not-so-long history of Brussels. The reason why its history is not so "vibrant and first-class" is that it is compared with Ghent and Bruges, which were on the same trade route with it. Bruges had a fortress built in ancient Roman times, and Ghent had become a city in ancient Roman times. Brussels, which means "home in the swamp" in ancient Dutch, was still in a swamp and no one cared about it. It was only when the compass of time turned to the second half of the 6th century AD that it was noticed. A small church was built on a small island in the Seine River flowing through Brussels. The source of this river can be traced Go to the famous Scheldt River. It was the Seine River that created the future glory of Brussels.

If we look at the time when the chapel was built, Brussels was more than half a century earlier than the monastery was built in Ghent. However, it did not develop as fast as Ghent. While Ghent became a trading center and the Frankish empire established in Charlemagne's land "sung with great joy", Brussels still hesitated to move forward. With the division of the Frankish Empire, after the East Frankish Kingdom eventually evolved into the Holy Roman Empire, Brussels was given to the exiled son of the West Frankish King by the second emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The emperor allowed him to build the first building on the island. A castle, the time is 979 AD. This year, Brussels officially came to the world.

It came to the world earlier than it, and enjoyed the blooming flowers of Ghent and Bruges earlier. In the year when it built the castle, life was not easy. Although the Count of Flanders, who controlled them, took advantage of the Viking pirates to sack the Kingdom of West Francia and occupied a large area of ??the kingdom when the kingdom was unable to resist, Ghent and Bruges were also sacked by Viking pirates at the same time. The cities were in ruins and the population was reduced. The kingdom of West Frank was at a critical moment when it was about to change its dynasty. However, in the seemingly dark land of Western Europe, a revolutionary innovation seed that affects the historical process of Western Europe has been planted by great masters. When this seed breaks out of the ground, the entire Western Europe, especially the banks of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt rivers, will usher in the most brilliant spring. This seed is the innovation of the woolen textile industry.

In the millennium before this seed was born, Brussels was taken away by the Count of Brabant. The Duke of Brabant established by the descendants of this count and affiliated with the Holy Roman Empire can be compared with the Kingdom of the Franks. The Counties of Flanders resisted. Although Brussels, Bruges and Ghent are not "one family", it does not mean that they cannot coexist peacefully. When waterwheels used for textiles were installed along the three major rivers, a number of cities along the rivers that we are familiar with today were born, including Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. Brussels was located in Bruges, Ghent quickly became a commercial center on the trade route between Cologne, the former capital of the Frankish Kingdom. The swamps were drained, the population grew rapidly, city walls and canals were built, and Brussels became the mainstay of the Principality of Brabant. Brussels became "radiant".

Later, its fate was the same as that of Bruges and Ghent. During the Hundred Years' War between England and France, it was annexed by the Principality of Burgundy, but it was different from Bruges and Ghent. Yes, both Bruges and Ghent were seriously damaged in the Hundred Years War between England and France, and Brussels, because it was connected to the Scheldt River, was diverted to the trade route of Antwerp, which succeeded Bruges, and continued to prosper. What’s even more different is that the Duchy of Burgundy, which laid the foundation for the extremely wealthy Netherlands in the future, turned Brussels into the property center and political center of the duchy. The Duke handled political affairs here all year round, which paved the way for it to become the European Union’s center in the future. The foundation of the capital was laid. From then on, Brussels truly embarked on a prosperous road. After the Duchess of Burgundy married the Habsburg Emperor, the capital of this complex state was also located in Brussels. Because of this background, their grandson, European overlord Charles V, chose to ascend the throne as King of Spain in Brussels, at the St. Michael Church. Another St. Michael's Church. I really want to count how many St. Michael's churches there are in the Christian world?

After Charles V integrated the 17 provinces of the Northern and Southern Netherlands, Brussels, located on the two trade routes leading to Ghent and Antwerp, became one of the capitals of Charles V's empire. At its peak. In addition to being a trading center, it was also the center of the lace industry, and the tapestries produced here covered the walls of castles throughout Europe. However, the Chinese often say, "If you escape the first day of the Lunar New Year, you can't escape the fifteenth day." The same goes for Brussels. When the new overlord of Europe, Louis XIV, who pushed the Kingdom of France into a golden age, emerged, Brussels' glorious heyday came to an end. After he led his army to bombard Brussels, the fire destroyed the Grand Place in the city center and 4,000 surrounding buildings, and the dazzling Brussels disappeared into smoke.

Although this ambitious new European overlord wanted to unify Europe, the anti-French alliance composed of the Holy Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic and the United Kingdom was too powerful, and Louis XIV had no choice but to regret it. Closed his eyes. A hundred years after his death, Napoleon, who had the same ambition as him, was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on the outskirts of Brussels, and a generation of military geniuses "shed tears in the Wujiang River". What I like about Napoleon is not because of what a great strategist and military strategist he was, but because when he conquered Egypt, he revealed Egypt's ancient civilization as deep as the sea to the world, and Egyptology was born. Because of the great Napoleon, I put the first stop on my Brussels itinerary here.

In the early morning, there was no one here, and the sky was overcast, which seemed to force me to review the sad history of "the beacon light shines on Xijing, and the iron cavalry circles the Dragon City". After Napoleon escaped from the island where he was imprisoned, rushed back to Paris and seized power, the British Empire, the Russian Empire, the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia formed the Seventh Anti-French Alliance. Facing such a strong alliance, Napoleon, who was no longer in his prime, realized that he would be in trouble, but he still had a glimmer of hope. If he can take the lead in defeating the Anglo-Prussian forces assembled in Brussels, perhaps Prussia will withdraw from the anti-French alliance, so that it can join hands with it to fight against Austria and Russia, and Waterloo is the key point leading to Brussels, so one of the most famous battles in military history The Battle of Waterloo began here.

As we all know, the last battle in Napoleon's life ended in failure. The First French Empire he led was destroyed. Waterloo was written into the dictionary as a synonym for the disastrous defeat. After the war, the leading figures of all parties were dismissed. Promotion. It can be seen that Napoleon's sad departure made many European countries relieved and happy.

Today’s ancient battlefield is completely different from the battlefield of war and iron horses back then. Just as the French writer Hugo described in "Les Misérables": "The one that once took away all people's memories is disgusting. The place has been changed beyond recognition, and this period of history has lost its true appearance.” Today, above an artificial hillock in the middle of a lawn, stands an iron lion. This is the world-famous Waterloo Monument, which was built to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Battle of Waterloo.

Looking at the empty wilderness and the gloomy sky, I think of Du Fu's poem: "The country is broken by mountains and rivers, and the city has deep grass and trees in spring. I feel the flowers splashing with tears, and I hate the departure of the birds." Cao Song's poem also sounded: " Zeguo's country is in the war, how can the people live in peace? If you don't talk about the matter of making a marquis, one general will make thousands of bones wither." I couldn't help but feel sad, and I hid my face and left.

I drove gloomily to the Stoclet House, a world cultural heritage site in Brussels. This world cultural heritage is as boring as many world cultural heritages in the Netherlands and Belgium. I wouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t taken the opportunity. The house and gardens, built in the first half of the 20th century, are said to have been a turning point in the Art Nouveau movement with their austere geometric shapes. Its advent heralded the beginning of the decorative arts and modern architectural movements, and it is known as one of the most artistic and luxurious private residences in the 20th century. This palace is not open to the public, and I don’t know if the inside is really as good as described.

Driving into the center of Brussels, I finally felt better. The hotel is right next to the Grand Place, which is a real world cultural heritage in my eyes. Next to the hotel is an underground parking lot, which costs 20 euros per day, which is not expensive. After parking the car, I didn’t go to the Grand Place first, but to the St. Michael’s Church where Charles V was crowned. This was my first wish when I came to Brussels. This church is located in a square on the edge of the Old Town of Brussels. It looks impressive from a distance. On the square stands a bust of the deceased king of Belgium. Because Charles V ascended the throne here, today’s Catholic ceremonies, Independence Day events, and royal weddings or funerals in Belgium are all held here.

The church was built in the middle of the 11th century and took 4 centuries to finally be completed. The long construction period allowed it to incorporate Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, and was praised by Hugo as "the most pure and beautiful flower of Gothic style". There are statues of the Twelve Apostles standing above and on both sides of the central door. On the church tower there are 49 rows of bells made by the Royal Bell Foundry. Whenever the bells ring, there seems to be a lark singing over the old city of Brussels. Each giant Roman column inside the church has a statue of one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ, among which the most important statue is the statue of Saint Gudula. Legend has it that the daughter of the Duke of Lorraine went to the church to pray every morning before the cockcrow. The devil tried to blow out the lantern in her hand many times, but with the blessing of God, the devil never succeeded. She was so moved by her devotion to God that she was canonized as a saint after her death, and the square in front of the church was named after her.

Of course, the most important statue here is the statue of St. Michael, patron saint of Brussels. In a rose window, Christ in red robes sits on a rainbow, and St. Michael stands on the scales used to weigh the souls of the dead. At the bottom of the picture is a line of words, "We are disappointed with our desires." , and are bewildered by time. Death troubles us, and anxious life is nothing but vanity.” What a wise saying.

After fulfilling my first wish, I am going to fulfill my second wish, which is to visit the location of the EU Center. As I walked, I reflected on Brussels’ journey to becoming the seat of the European Union. After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the regions under his rule became independent, and Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands formed the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. However, the Netherlands belongs to the Northern Netherlands, which is Protestant, focuses on commerce and fishing, and uses Dutch, while Belgium belongs to the Southern Netherlands, which is Catholic, focuses on industry and agriculture, and uses French and Flemish. Due to these differences and the fact that the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was "relying on others", it was no longer the invincible Republic of the Netherlands. It was not qualified to be the "big brother" of Belgium, which was not inferior to it in terms of background. So the Belgians began to make revolution and eventually moved towards independence. The Kingdom of Belgium was established with Brussels as its capital.

When the new country was first established, the most important thing was to build the new capital of Brussels. Brussels ushered in a small prosperous age, and also ushered in the great writer Hugo and Marx, the guide of communism. Although Brussels suffered some damage during World War I and World War II, it was not fatal.

After the end of World War II, the great powers began to redefine the spheres of influence in Europe. With an area less than half of Liaoning Province, it borders the Netherlands, France and Germany, across the Channel from the United Kingdom, and is located in the heart of the Netherlands-Belgium-France railway line. Who should belong to Belgium, a small country known as the "Crossroads of Europe"?

No one can own it. Belgium is at the center of Europe's criss-crossing development, whether from a historical perspective or from a cultural, artistic, and linguistic perspective. Who should it belong to? Neither Britain, France, nor Germany, which occupies an important chapter in European history, can achieve the goal. *knowledge. On the contrary, if it can become a link between these countries, no country will have any objection. Belgium is small in area, has a small population, and does not even have its own language. Historically, it has been basically affiliated with other European powers, which makes it impossible for it to exert strong influence on other countries, let alone pose a threat to other countries. Therefore, when Brussels accidentally became the headquarters of the European Union, the predecessor of the European Union, when the European Union was established, it naturally became the capital of the European Union.

Brussels is not only the headquarters of the European Union, but also the headquarters of NATO, which was once called "brain dead" by the current French president. However, Paris took the initiative to hand over this NATO headquarters before the establishment of the European Union. At that time, France's World War II hero Charles de Gaulle returned as king. After being elected president, he wanted to make the French army independent of NATO command, and then drove away the US troops stationed in France. Under the instigation of the powerful de Gaulle, the United States had to move the NATO headquarters to Brussels. Nowadays, it is impossible for France to regain the title of NATO headquarters. It is like overturning water. So, many times, choice is more important than hard work.

I just kept looking and thinking, and before I knew it, I walked nearly 2 kilometers and arrived at the political center of the European Union. Actually, there is nothing to attract me here. They are all modern high-rise buildings. I just wanted to see if any of these centers allow visitors to visit. Others are closed and only the European Parliament can do so, but you have to show your health code. I had a vaccine card all the way in Belgium, so why do I need a health code when I get here? Fortunately, there is free Internet here. Unfortunately, there is no health code app downloaded on Huawei mobile phones. It’s true that I only wanted to support domestic products, but in the end I fell into the “trap”.

Although I was a little disappointed not to be able to visit the interior of the European Parliament, I didn’t feel regretful when I moved to the Parc du Cinquantenaire, which is lush with green grass. The open environment is much better than the environment in the political center of the European Union, which is full of skyscrapers and makes me feel breathless. As the name suggests, this park, which covers an area equivalent to 42 football fields, was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence. The center of the park is the three-arched Arc de Triomphe built in imitation of the French Arc de Triomphe. On the Arc de Triomphe is a four-horse chariot. On both sides of the Arc de Triomphe are the Royal Armed Forces and Military Museum (RMM) and the paid Auto World and Art Museum (Artamp; History Museum).

None of these museums caught my attention. What caught my attention was the Palais Royal in Brussels. This palace is the most gorgeous royal building in Brussels. Its facade even exceeds that of Buckingham Palace in London. It is surrounded by exquisite Baroque architectural styles and is covered with reliefs. Outside the palace is a well-manicured garden, in front of the door is a wide brick road, and opposite is the beautiful Royal Park, which was once the battlefield where Belgium fought against the Dutch in pursuit of independence. It is said that the interior of the palace is also based on the style of the Palace of Versailles in France. The reliefs in the front hall are engraved with the political history of France. The Hall of Mirrors is decorated with marble and brass. There are also large mirrors like the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. The ceiling and three chandeliers One of the lamps is covered with nearly 1.5 million gems and is called "Paradise of Joy". In addition, the palace is also decorated with a large number of murals, crystal chandeliers, artworks and a urinating statue of Brussels' first citizen Le Petit Lian. Unfortunately, the palace is only open in the summer, so I can only say goodbye.

I didn’t see the Statue of Ursinus in the Royal Palace, but I saw the Statue of Ursinus not far from the Grand Place in Brussels. This was the second time I saw it. When I just graduated from university, I came to Brussels in the autumn, and it was what impressed me the most. At that time, the flow of people was still as crowded as it is today. The 60-centimeter-tall Xiao Lian was not enclosed by railings and people could touch it. This Yulian is the national treasure of Belgium. According to legend, he extinguished the invaders' fuse with a piece of urine and saved the entire city. Therefore, he became the pride of Brussels. Although I felt that his reputation was not commensurate with his size at the time, I was still attracted by the cute appearance of him peeing, but very close to it was the World Cultural Heritage that Hugo called "the most beautiful square in the world" - The Grand Place in Brussels has not remained in my memory at all. When I return to Brussels this time, I must appreciate it.

From the hotel to St. Michael's Church, then to the European Political Center and the 50th Anniversary of Independence Park, and finally back to the hotel, I walked nearly 10 kilometers all the way, and my legs were so tired that I almost broke them. Fortunately, my hotel is next to the main square, so I don't have to take the "11" bus. After I "regrouped", I walked into the world-famous Grand Square. The moment I saw it, I was stunned. This is the most luxurious square in my eyes. The rows of various buildings surrounding the square are all magnificent and splendid, emitting dazzling light even under the gray sky. There are endless crowds of people everywhere. With the tall Christmas tree as a backdrop, this square, built in the 12th century, is filled with a festive atmosphere. How can it look like the epidemic is raging?

Among the many buildings, the most eye-catching one is the Gothic City Hall. The exterior walls of this city hall built in the 15th century are carved with saints, nobles and other figures from various periods. Each one is lifelike and vivid. The complex modeling is accurate to the hairstyle, expression and gestures, which is very similar to that of Milan Cathedral. , very shocking. What is also shocking is the 91-meter-high hall tower of the city hall, with a 5-meter-high statue of Saint Michel placed on the top of the tower. This city hall should be the most shocking city hall in Europe. Seeing it, I seem to have returned to the medieval era when I was holding a royal staff, and I can truly feel the beating heart of Brussels. In addition to the City Hall, the square is also surrounded by the National Museum and the Governor's Palace, which were once the French Louis XIV Palace, but the most famous one is the "Swan Cafe" on one side of the square, where Marx and Engels jointly drafted the "The Communist Manifesto".

I stood in the middle of the Grand Place, looking at the streets radiating from its core to the surrounding streets, thinking where should I start exploring the old town of Brussels, let’s start next to the city hall. At this time, a drizzle began to fall in the sky, and I walked around the neighborhoods around the main square in the rain. When I returned to the square, it was crowded and dark. I didn't know what to do and looked at the clock. It was approaching 5 o'clock. Just when I was confused, the familiar French song "La Vie En Rose" played, and I understood that there was going to be a light show here. When the colorful lights shone on the buildings around the square in changing patterns to the accompaniment of different music, I seemed to see Brussels singing softly in the valley of time, and dreamlike poems in the corridors of time. The Grand Place in Brussels is so beautiful.

Next to the Grand Place, there is the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which was built in the mid-19th century. It is very similar to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, known as the "Milan Living Room". They are both arcades and covered with the most popular glass in the 19th century, but its promenade on both sides It is an Italian Renaissance-style store, not as luxurious as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Passing through the promenade, you can reach Rue Haute, an exquisite commercial street filled with a strong French style.

The atmosphere of Brussels is so similar to that of Paris, no wonder it is known as the "Little Paris of Europe".

The scenery in the four seasons of the world is different, including "the paths are sparsely red and the suburbs are green", there is also "the golden breeze is thin and the leaves of the sycamore are falling", and there are also "the willow trees are no longer covered with cicadas" , Yellow leaves behind closed doors on stormy days.” The present and past of Brussels are like the scenery of the four seasons, from blooming flowers to withered flowers and then to a riot of purple and red, all over again. I don't know when it will return to its desolate scene. I only hope that its light and long fragrance will leave deep and shallow traces in the wind and dust.