An amazing structure...a child born out of the 1958 Brussels World Fair. It stands 332 feet (102 meters) high and consists of nine spheres of 59 feet (18 m)diameter connected by tubes measuring 94 feet (29 m) in length and 10 feet (3 m) thick. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn for the International Exhibition of Brussels, that took place here in 1958, the Atomium is a structure that is half way between sculpture and architecture, symbolising a crystallised molecule of iron by the scale of its atoms, magnified 150 thousand million times. The nine large spheres joined by tubes which comprise the Atomium, are arranged in the configuration of a central cubic system. These spheres, with a diameter of 18 metres, were fitted out by the architects André and Jean Polak. These spheres now houses exhibitions on Science. The central shaft houses Europe's fastest elevator running at an amazing 16.4 ft/sec (5m/sec). It takes visitors up to the top sphere in 23 seconds.