Atomium
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Built for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo '58), the 103-metre (335-foot) tall Atomium monument represents a unit cell of an iron crystal (body-centred cubic), magnified 165 billion times, with vertical body diagonal, with tubes along the 12 edges of the cube and from all 8 vertices to the centre.
Nine steel spheres 18 metres in diameter connect via tubes with escalators as long as 35 m, among the longest in Europe. Windows in the top sphere provide a panoramic view of Brussels. Other spheres have 1950s exhibitions. Three upper spheres lacking vertical support are not open to the public for safety reasons.
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[edit] The Eiffel Tower of Brussels
Planned originally to last only six months, architect André Waterkeyn's design has survived to become a popular tourist attraction that some feel is a Belgian national icon rivalling Manneken Pis. It sits beside the King Baudouin Stadium in Heysel Park (). Just next to it also lies the congress centre, and the Mini-Europe park.
[edit] Renovation
Beginning in March 2004, much-needed renovation work has included replacing faded aluminium sheets on the balls with stainless steel. To help pay for renovations, the old aluminium has been sold to the public as souvenirs. A triangular piece about 2 m long sold for €1,000. The Atomium, which had been closed to the public since October 2004, re-opened on 18th February 2006. The renovation includes revamped exhibition spaces, a restaurant, and an overnight dormitory called Kids Sphere Hotel for visiting schoolchildren. The dormitory features suspended plastic sphere towers.
[edit] Trivia
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- The ambient music duo Stars of the Lid titled the first three tracks of their 1999 release Avec Laudenum "The Atomium (parts I through III)".
- One of the original ideas for Expo '58 was to build an upside-down version of the Eiffel tower; however, Waterkeyn felt that an atomic structure would be more symbolic of the era.
- According to SABAM (the Belgian Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers), any and all self-made images of the Atomium are in violation of copyright. [1] [2] [3]
- The Atomium is featured in the "Headhunter" music video by Belgian EBM group Front 242.
[edit] Location
Eeuwfeestlaan / Boulevard du Centenaire 1020 Brussels (Laken), next to Heysel metro station.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Atomium official site
- Atomium in the Structurae database
- Atomium: virtual visit
- Brussels Discovery
[edit] References
