Many historians visit Waterloo to see the place where the Battle of Waterloo was fought and to learn more about Napoleon. However, the history of the city goes way back to when it was mentioned as a small town in the Sonian Forest, but did not develop until the late s when a chapel was built nearby.
Situated around 23 kms from Brussels, Waterloo offers a great repository of historical elements which would impress one and all. Before your journey begins, leave your bags near Waterloo Station to enjoy the sights hands-free.
Located in the house where the Duke of Wellington slept the night before the battle , you can see the bedroom where he slept, the bed where Sir Alex Gordon died, and a dozen other historic rooms. If you have any interest in military items, this museum is for you. The building started with pieces from the collection of Louis Leconte. Today, there are thousands of weapons, uniforms, and more from Dutch, French, and Austrian history. Get some souvenirs from the gift shop before you leave.
This Museum of Natural Sciences features nine different areas to explore. The Evolution section explores how we came to be here. The Animal Kingdom section has a dinosaur gallery and years of animal science. The archeology collection has items from the stone age to the metal age, the antiquity wing has mosaics and other beauty from Ancient Egypt and Greece, and you can even see Egyptian tombs, jewels, and Pre-Columbian art.
This art museum boasts more than 20, paintings, sculptures, and drawings dating back to the s. The Wiertz Museum preserved items from Antoine Wiertz, who was a controversial writer, sculptor, and painter. His giant canvasses were known for their war and battle scenes that some found too gory. However, these works from until the s have drawn a large following.
