Brussels

Brussels was founded in about 580. It is located in the heart of Europe, at the intersection of the diagonals formed by Scotland/Greece and Spain/ Denmark.

The Grand Place is the centre of the old town. The flower market is held here in the magnificent setting.

The Royal Palace is one of most imposing monuments. The frontage is decorated with a bas-relief, which represents Belgium, the Belgium flag in one hand and a medallion bearing the effigies of Leopold II in the other hand. The Palais des Nations includes the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

The town hall is the most remarkable ancient monument of Brussels and one of the most beautiful buildings of the Gothic architecture in Belgium.

The King’s House shelters the city museum of Brussels. The museum contains a marvelous collection of Brussels earthenware and porcelain and the famous wardrobe of the Manneken-Pis, some 400 costumes. Manneken-Pis is a famous national emblem.

There are ancient churches and cathedrals in Brussels: the Saint Nicolas Church, the Church Notre-Dame de la Chapelle, the Church Our Lady of the Sablon, the Saint Michael’s Cathedral.

Zurich

Zurich was originally founded by the ancient Romans as an important border point and through the centuries the city has spread all across the banks of its namesake lake. Today three rivers and innumerable streams make their way through this beautiful city.

Zurich is the largest city of Switzerland and the capital of canton Zurich. It is a financial and industrial centre.

Magnificent architecture and a well-developed infrastructure have also made Zurich the economic and intellectual centre of Switzerland.

Today here there are tangible signs of the endless stream of world renowned artists, actors, writers and musicians who, at one time or another, resided or enjoyed this city. Mozart, Goethe, Wagner, Einstein, Thomas Mann are just some of the people who grew to love Zurich and experience its warmth and hospitality. Musical culture in all its grandeur can be found in the “tonhalle” concert hall of the Zurich Opera House, as well as in many smaller theatres, jazz clubs and never-ending musical festivals that take place in the city.

There are two great annual festivals: the April Sechselauten, with a guild procession and the ceremonial burning of a snowman, and the September Knabenschiessen, a youthful sharpshooting contest.

France

France covers a total area of 210,026 square miles. Its continental territory is bordered on the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, on the east by Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, and Andorra, on the west by the Bay of Biscay, and on the northwest by the English Channel; on the north, France faces southeastern England across the narrow Strait of Dover.

Monaco is an independent enclave on the south coast, while the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean is treated as an integral part of the county. France’s two mountain chains, the Alps in the east and the Pyrenees in the southwest, form natural frontiers. The climate is generally moderate, combining Atlantic, Mediterranean, and continental influences.

It is one of the oldest, historically and culturally most important nations of Europe and, indeed, of the whole Western world.

Paris is the capital of France. The city was founded more than 2,000 years ago on an island in the Seine River. The modern city has spread from the island and far beyond both banks of the Seine. The City of Paris itself covers an area of 41 square miles; the Greater Paris conurbation extends around it in all directions to cover approximately 890 square miles.

The city and its immediate environs house roughly one-fifth of the total population. The rest is distributed unevenly across more than 36,000 communes, France’s smallest administrative unit.