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The Town Hall was the first major building on the Grand Place. Largely reconstructed since its 15th-century beginnings, it still has its original spire, topped by a statue of St Michael killing the devil.

This medieval-style “King’s House”, built in the 1870s, houses the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles, a miscellany of city history, including costumes designed for the Manneken-Pis statue.

Like most of the buildings on the Grand Place, No 7 was a guildhouse – the prestigious headquarters of the Guild of Haber-dashers. Along with the majority of the guildhouses, it was rebuilt after 1695. A striking statue of a fox (Le Renard ) illustrates the building’s old name.

This gloriously elaborate building (No 6) was once the guildhouse of the boatmen. Its marine adornments include a top storey resembling the stern of a galleon.

Every other year for five days in mid-August, the Grand Place is taken over by a massive floral display known as the Carpet of Flowers.

The south-eastern flank of this impressive building was conceived (in 1698) as a single block of seven units. No 13 is the Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat.

Called L’Arbre d’Or (the Golden Tree), the brewers’ guildhouse (No 10) was designed by Guillaume de Bruyn. It is still used by the Confédération des Brasseries de Belgique, and contains a small museum of brewing.

“The Swan” (No 9) was rebuilt as a private residence in 1698, but in 1720 it was acquired by the Guild of Butchers. It later became a café, and Karl Marx held meetings of the German Workers’ Party here.

Everard ’t Serclaes died on this site in 1388 resisting Flemish occupation. Passers-by stroke the limbs of his bronze statue for luck.

The bakers’ guildhouse is coated with symbols, including six figures representing the essential elements of breadmaking. The unusual octagonal lantern on the roof is topped by a striking gilded statue of Fame.