Atomium Square de l'Atomium, Brussels 102m (1956)

What is it?  An alien spaceship; a UFO; a giant metal spider; a gigantic metal structure built in the shape of human DNA?

Its 102 metres high with 9 interconnected spheres (it represent an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times.  This structure was the creation of the engineer Andre Waterkeyn.

Neither tower nor pyramid; its cubic and spherical; an architectural, futuristic sculpture!!  It is actually an exhibition centre and a museum.  It signifies a symbol of its kind in the world and eludes no classification.The Atomium was the main pavilion of the World Fair of Brussels in 1958 also called Expo 58.

The Atomium was not supposed to survive the 1958 World Fair but its popularity and success made its landmark and symbol of Brussels first then internationally.

Diane Hennebert in 2008 aptly describe the Atomium as follows:-

The story of the Atomium is, above all, one of love, the love that the Belgians have for an extraordinary structure symbolising a frame of mind that wittily combines aesthetic daring with technical mastery. The appearance of the Atomium is unusual and unforgettable. It has a rare quality of lifting everyone’s spirits and firing their imagination.