The Brussels Atomium is perhaps one of the strangest and most beautiful monuments in Europe. Its story is one of the unconditional love of the Belgians for a structure that is quite out of the ordinary. The structure symbolizes the esthetical courage and technical master crafts. The Atomium is beautiful thanks to its uniqueness and its unconventional appearance.
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The steel construction met nine gigantic spheres with a diameter of 18 m represents the crystal structure of iron, 165 billion times magnified. The Atomium was the cherish on the cake of the World Fair of 1958 when Brussels was the guest town for a fair that celebrated the enormous technical advancement of the human race and holds the promises of a prosperous future.
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The structure designed by the architects André Watterkeyn and Jean Polak, it is, in fact, a hybrid structure floating between architecture, pyramid and cube with for the fifties futuristic elements. It is more than a reminder of an international happening, but maybe most of all it escapes all classification.
History
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The Atomium build for the Word Fair of 1958, also known as Expo 58 has always been symbolic as a tribute to the optimistic views of the 50’s. The representation of the crystal cell of iron is also a reference to a world that was then changing rapidly.
Strangely and ironically, enough the sphere first built in aluminum instead of steel. Aluminum was for those days quite new and innovative. It is unknown what inspired this decision but it is easy to believe that the effect of slighter corrosion of aluminum influenced the decision.
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It was never the intention to let the structure stand more than six months. The enormous popularity during and after the World Fair led to the decision to make the monument a permanent exhibition.
Specifications
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The monument is 102 meter high (diagonal from the cube). The ground plate is a hexagon with a diagonal of 94 meters. A sphere has a diameter of 18 meters and consists out of 48 triangular plates, 1 mm thick. During the restoration, each sphere got 720 plates.
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Each sphere has an outdoor surface of 1.082 m2 and each level has a floor surface of 240 m2. Each sphere has two levels, with exception of the upper sphere with three levels. The spheres are accessible with an elevator all the way to the highest sphere. In this highest sphere, you can enjoy the food and the most incredible view in the restaurant. In the other spheres, there is an exposition hall, a fast food bar and a children sphere were school classes can stay overnight.
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Spheres connect with each other through stairs and escalators. The three outer spheres are not accessible to the public because of security reasons.
The renovation of 2004-2006
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In 2004, a two-year overhaul of the monument took place. During that time, it closed to the public. Stainless steel replaced most of the aluminum. The price tag of the renovation was 26 million euro.
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The Atomium is probably the greatest Belgian symbol and attracts thousands of visitors every year.
For 12 euro, you can visit the Atomium (children 8 euro). Not only do you have a spectacular view on the capital of Europe; Brussels, but you also visit the strangest building in Europe (according to CNN).
Your trip to Belgium is simply incomplete without a visit to the Atomium.
