a fascinating story
The Atomium is a building in Brussels originally constructed for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (60 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.
A seminal totem in the Brussels skyline. Neither EN tower, nor pyramid. Half-way between sculpture and architecture. A relict of the past with a determinedly futuristic look. The Atomium is the only symbol of its kind in the world. The Atomium was not intended to survive beyond the 1958 World Fair but its popularity and success soon made it a key landmark, first of Brussels, then countrywide and finally European.
The Top Sphere: it includes a restaurant which has a panoramic view of Brussels. In 2013 CNN named it Europe’s most bizarre building.
Temporary Exhibitions: In addition to the unique touristic and patrimonial experience of discovering the Atomium, we offer a continuous selection of exciting temporary exhibitions about art, design, architecture and society.
Tubes of 3 m (10 ft) diameter connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre
Entrance: they enclose stairs, escalators and a lift (in the central, vertical tube) to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces.
