Fodor's Expert Review Place Royale

There's a strong dash of Vienna in this white, symmetrical square, built in the neoclassical style by Brussels's then Austrian overlords. Elegantly proportioned, it is the centerpiece of the Upper Town, which became the center of power during the 18th century. Place Royale was built on the ruins of the palace of the Dukes of Brabant, which had burned down. The site has been excavated, and it is possible to see the underground digs of Coudenberg and the main hall, Aula Magna, where Charles V was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1519, and where, 37 years later, he abdicated to retire to a monastery.