11 Facts About Atomium

1.

Atomium is a landmark building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair .

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2.

Name Atomium is a portmanteau combining the words atom and aluminium, the metal with which the spheres were initially covered.

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3.

Atomium was built as the main pavilion and icon of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair .

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4.

Atomium received assistance from consulting engineers Artemy S Joukoff and Andre Beckers, assisted by the design office V Daniel.

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5.

Atomium, designed to last six months, was not destined to survive the 1958 World's Fair, but its popularity and success made it a major element of Brussels' landscape.

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6.

Renovation of the Atomium, carried by Belgian construction companies Jacques Delens and BESIX, began in March 2004; it was closed to the public in October of that year, and remained closed until 18 February 2006.

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7.

On 14 February 2006, the Atomium was officially reopened by then-Prince Philippe, and on 18 February 2006, it opened again to the public.

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8.

Brussels and the Atomium Association paid one-third of the costs, and the Belgian Government financed the other two thirds.

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9.

Likewise, while the subject of Atomium was chosen to depict the enthusiasm of the Atomic Age, iron is not and cannot be used as fuel in nuclear reactions.

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10.

Atomium will sue any individual or group if they show the photographs to anyone.

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11.

The organisers of Belgian heritage, Anno Expo, in the city of Mechelen announced a "cultural guerrilla strike" by asking people to send in their old photographs of the Atomium and requested 100 photoshoppers to paint over the balls.

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