Grand-Place square in Brussels

The Grand-Place (or Grote Markt) is the central square of the Belgian city of Brussels. World-renowned for its ornate architecture, it is flanked by the Guild Houses, the Town Hall and the King’s House. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. As a historic site, it has been the scene of numerous events. Among other things, in 1523, the first Protestant martyrs, Henri Voes and Jean Van Eschen, were burnt at the stake there by the Inquisition. Forty years later, the Counts of Egmont and Hornes, who had presented a petition to Philip II regarding his policy in the Netherlands, were beheaded there. This sparked the start of the armed revolt against Spanish rule, led by William of Orange. In August 1695, during the War of the League of Augsburg, most of the houses were destroyed when the city was bombarded by French troops under the command of Marshal de Villeroy. Only the façade and the tower of the town hall, which served as a valuable landmark for the artillerymen, were spared from the incendiary cannonballs. The houses surrounding the square were lavishly rebuilt in stone by the various guilds. Among these, the house of the Brewers’ Guild now houses the Brewers’ Museum. The French Revolution once again left the square in ruins. The earliest photographs of the Grand-Place show a square devoid of statues and gilding. Everything had disappeared by the 18th century. From the mid-19th century onwards, the square’s heritage value was rediscovered. The current façades are the result of a major restoration campaign carried out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spearheaded by Mayor Charles Buls and the Brussels city councillors of the time. Buildings Hôtel de ville The town hall was built between 1402 and 1455. It is the only surviving architectural remnant of the medieval square. The architect and designer was probably the Burgundian Jean Bornoy. Jean van Ruysbroeck designed the 96-metre Gothic-style tower. At its summit stands a statue of Saint Michael, the patron saint of Brussels, slaying the devil. Contrary to popular belief, the tower is not a belfry. It has never housed a carillon and has never served any purpose other than a decorative one. The building is asymmetrical. Indeed, the tower is not situated exactly in the centre of the building, and the left and right sections are not identical. An old legend familiar to the people of Brussels has it that the architect who designed the building committed suicide by throwing himself from the top of the tower after realising this architectural ‘error’. In fact, the two sections were not built at the same time. Maison du Roi From the 12th century onwards, the King’s House was a wooden building where bread was sold, hence the name it has retained in Dutch, ‘broodhuis’ (bread house). In the 15th century, it was replaced by a stone building which housed the administrative offices of the Duke of Brabant, namely the office of the General Receiver of the Brabant Estate. Charles V in turn had it rebuilt in the late Gothic style, very similar to what can be seen today, although without towers or galleries. Due to damage sustained over the years, particularly during the bombardment of 1695, the city had it rebuilt in 1873 in the Neo-Gothic style. The building, the interior of which was refurbished in 1985, has housed the town museum since 1887. Other buildings Maison du Roi d’Espagne Brouette Sac Louve Cornet Renard Étoile Cygne Arbre d’Or Rose Mont Thabor Roi de Bavière Ducs de Brabant Renommée Ermitage Fortune Moulin à vent Pot d’étain Colline Bourse Cerf L’Ange La Chaloupe d’Or Pigeon Le Marchand d’or Le Heaume Paon Le Chêne Samaritain How to get to? The nearest transport hub is Bruxelles-Central Station. Both commuter and international trains stop here. Metro lines 1 and 5 and numerous bus routes are also located here. On the other side of the street is Bourse tram station, where trams 4 and 10 stop. See also France travel guide Spain travel guide Catalonia travel guide Pyrenees travel guideThe post Grand-Place square in Brussels first appeared on All PYRENEES.