Europe lights up in solidarity with Brussels

"In solidarity with the people of Brussels," the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo announced on Twitter that the Eiffel Tower would shine bright in the colors of the Belgian flag. She then used the hashtag #NousSommesUnis - we are united. It was the same hashtag Europeans used last November to show solidarity with the residents of Paris when it was hit by a series of terror attacks.

Then as the sun set over Europe, the Eiffel Tower lit up in black, yellow and red. Anne Hidalgo shared the image.

In Berlin the Brandenburg Gate, the Cold War symbol of a divided Europe, shone bright in the dark sky, as people gathered in front of it to show solidarity with the victims.

In the Netherlands, the Palace of Amsterdam, was illuminated in the Belgian colors. It was an "impressive" display of solidarity, tweeted the Dutch ambassador to the UN.

In Rome, the Trevi Fountain became Belgian for the night. Journalist María Teiero Martín, who is normally based in Brussels, tweeted how touching the gesture was. She also shared a behind-the-scenes image of the colors on the light projector.

In the rest of the world, other cities are showing their solidarity as well. New York City Governor Mario Como has said the 408-foot spire of One World Trade Center will light up in black, yellow and red.

Several hours earlier, the world's tallest hotel, Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, lit up the sky with a two-fold color display demonstrating solidarity with Belgium and the European Union.