Atomium, Exhibition hall and history museum in Heysel District, Belgium.
The Atomium is a metal construction in the Heysel district made of nine connected spheres reaching a height of 102 meters (335 feet). Each sphere measures 18 meters (59 feet) in diameter and they are linked by tubes containing escalators and elevators.
The construction was built for the 1958 Brussels World Fair as a symbol of the atomic age and peaceful use of nuclear energy. During the 2000s the original aluminum panels were replaced with stainless steel to preserve the structure.
The name combines the word atom with a Latin suffix and shows the postwar confidence in science and technology. Today people visit the top sphere mainly for the view over the city and the surrounding parks.
Access to the spheres is through escalators and elevators, with some upper areas reachable only by a limited number of steps. Opening hours are generally from 10:00 to 18:00 and wheelchair users face restrictions on some levels.
The middle sphere houses a restaurant where you can eat surrounded by windows in all directions. The elevator between the lower and upper spheres is considered one of the fastest from the 1950s and reaches 5 meters per second.
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