Brussels, Belgium (photo)

Hôtel de Ville, Brussels, Belgium. The town hall, which occupies the southwest façade is the only medieval building left standing today and was built between 1402 and 1455 probably by Jean Bornoy. Its tower, asymmetrical with respect to the building, 96 meters high, is Gothic and was designed by Jean van Ruysbroeck in 1449. An urban legend has it that the architect, to check the alleged error that the tower will not be located in the center, climbed it and threw himself into the void, but in truth both sides were not built at the same time. Atop the tower is a tall bronze statue of five meters of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of Brussels, slaying a dragon or demon. The left side of the hall consists of twelve arches, including the bell, representing the alchemy wet in twelve stages. Instead, the right side has only seven arches, counting the bell, symbolizing the new dry alchemy, in seven stages. The facade is decorated with numerous statues of nobles