King Baudouin Stadium

The King Baudouin Stadium stands in the north-west of Brussels on the Heysel Plateau. Built in 1929–30 by architect Joseph Van Neck for the 1935 Brussels International Exposition, it opened as the Jubilee Stadium to mark the centenary of the Belgian Revolution. The stadium was later renamed Heysel Stadium after the neighbourhood and hosted European football finals in 1958, 1966, 1974 and 1985. After the 1985 disaster, the ground was rebuilt and reopened in 1995 as the King Baudouin Stadium, honouring the late monarch.

The stadium is worth visiting for its role in major sporting events. It has hosted European Cup finals, Cup Winners’ Cup finals and matches at Euro 2000. The Memorial Van Damme athletics meeting has taken place here every year since 1995. The stadium also hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 1930 and 1935 and stages of the Tour de France in 1949 and 1960. Rugby union and tennis events have been held here, including a tennis gala in 2010 featuring Serena Williams.

Visitors find a large oval stadium seating 50,093 spectators. A renovated gateway near the main entrance is the only remaining part of the original structure. The stadium sits beside the Bruparck entertainment park, close to the Atomium, Mini-Europe and Kinepolis cinema. The surrounding plateau offers wide views over Brussels and the surrounding region.