A real melting pot of cultures, the region is particularly well-known for its creative contribution in various fields: classical music and contemporary dance, jazz, comic strips, fashion and plastic arts. Brussels has a network of internationally renowned art schools which attract many foreign students. Brussels fashion is taught at the highest level, and includes the figurehead of "La CambreMode(s)".
Brussels is a leading light in comic strips. The city's support for the "ninth art" is immense. Here are just a few names to show off the range of talents in the genre:
Hergé (Tintin), Franquin (Spirou, Gaston Lagaffe, Marsupilami), Philippe Francq (Largo Winch), Frank (Broussaille), Benoît Sokal (Inspecteur Canardo), Roba (Boule et Bill), Schuiten et Peeters (Cités Obscures), Philippe Geluck (Le Chat), Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake et Mortimer), Jean Van Hamme (Thorgal, Largo Winch)...
Brussels has a particularly rich architectural heritage. The city can boast the title of capital of Art Nouveau, with the visionary creator Victor Horta. His housing projects are on the UNESCO world heritage list. The city also has a number of remarkable buildings in a wide variety of styles, from medieval constructions to contemporary architecture, from the famous Grand-Place (a UNESCO World Heritage site) to the Atomium, left over from the unforgettable Universal Exhibition of 1958.