Brussels Grand Place. Grand Place in Brussels (Grand place, Grote Markt). Grand Place: architectural appearance

Decoration architectural complex the square can rightly be called a Gothic town hall (Hotel de Ville, XV century). Oddly enough, it remained the only ancient building that survived in this square, although in 1695 it was the main target of French artillerymen. The town hall is crowned by a 97 m high tower, built in the 15th century by the architect Jan van Ruysbroeck. In 1997, after restoration, the gilded figure of St. Michael, the patron saint of the city, was reinstalled on the tower. The building is asymmetrical: it was not possible to complete the construction of the western wing in accordance with the plan, since Karl the Bold forbade narrowing the passage along the neighboring street, so the wing is somewhat shorter than the eastern wing. The first floor is decorated with a portico with 17 arches. The high window openings of the upper floors are decorated with sculpture. In the Gothic meeting room (25 x 12 m, 16th century) the flooring is oak with ebony inserts, and the ceiling and walls are decorated with gilded stucco and tapestries (1875-1881) . The town hall regularly hosts excursions €5 adults, €3 students. and pensions, children under 6 years old - free.

Since the city government was located on the Grand Place, all craft workshops and trade guilds built their representative offices on it - guild houses (Guildhalls). Each house had its own name and symbol, which have survived to this day. For example, Baker's House (Maison des Boulangers) decorated with six allegorical figures representing Strength, Bread, Wind, Fire, Water and Caution. House Wheelbarrow (La Brouette) At first it belonged to the workshop of tallow merchants, later to the workshop of tallow candle traders; in 1912, a statue of St. Egidia (Joseph van Hamme). House Bag (Le Sac) was the pride of coopers and cabinetmakers, and the Volchitsa house (La Louve), which belonged to the archers' guild, is decorated with a gilded phoenix - a symbol of the restoration of Grand-Place after the French bombardment. House Rozhok (Le Cornet) occupied by a shipwright's shop; its architectural decoration resembles the stern of a ship. House of Foxes (Le Renard)- the headquarters of the haberdashery workshop, decorated with the figure of St. Nicholas. In ancient times, from the balcony of the Zvezda house (L'Etoile) The Brussels prosecutor monitored the execution of the sentences. This is where the national hero Everard Circles ended his life. (Everard"t Serclaes). This patriot, who prevented the Flemings from capturing Brussels in 1356, died in 1388, again defending hometown. A cenotaph was erected under the building's colonnade in memory of him. (memorial tombstone), which is popularly called the “Sleeping Knight”. There is a belief that great luck awaits those who touch the bronze hand of a knight. House Swan (Le Sygne) decorated with an image of a swan. Initially, the house was a butcher shop, then a restaurant was opened here, which Marx and Engels loved to go to. House Dove (Le Pigeon) belonged to the guild of city artists; in 1852, Victor Hugo, expelled from France, lodged there.

In 1695, after a 36-hour bombardment by French artillery, most of the guild houses were destroyed. They were restored at the beginning of the 18th century. In 1998, the Grand Place was included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. cultural heritage. In August, for three days, a carpet of begonia flowers is laid out on the square. (110 by 68 m), and in winter the skating rink is filled.

Opposite the town hall was the King's House (Maison du Roi), which now houses the Brussels City Museum (Musee de la Ville de Bruxelles; tel. 02 279 43 50, Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 10.00-17.00, Thu until 20.00, Mon closed. €4 adults, €3 pence, and students, children under 6 years - for free). Exhibits on three floors introduce the history of the city. On the ground floor there is a painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder “Wedding Procession” (Cortege de Noces, 1567). One of the halls on the third floor is dedicated to gifts to the symbol of Brussels - the Manneken Pis (Manneken-pis). More than eight hundred outfits are stored here - from national costumes, including Ukrainian Cossack, to Santa Claus and Elvis costumes.

Next to the square is also the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate. (Musee du Cacao et du Chocolat), which presents the history of chocolate production, methods of preparing Belgian praline, a collection of labels from famous chocolate brands (Rue de la Tete d'Or, 9-11, m. Bourse, tel. 02 514 20 48 Tue-Sun 10.00-16.30, closed Mon.).

The magnificent Grand Place in the center of Brussels is majestic and graceful at the same time. When you find yourself in this square, you understand that all other attractions of Belgium simply pale in comparison to this masterpiece of true Gothic art.

Through the pages of history

The history of this city square is rooted in centuries of ancient times. All the significant events of this city took place here; the Grand Place saw many rulers and statesmen, great people and celebrities. Each stage of its history is a recording of pages of urban history:

  • 12th century - a city town was built on the site of dried swamps Market Square;
  • XIII century - the Bread House was erected, where bread was stored: it is unlikely that anyone at that time could have known that this building would soon turn into the King’s House, the main decoration of the square;
  • 1402-1455 - the Gothic town hall building was built;
  • 1695 - the square was destroyed as a result of the shelling of the city by the French army that lasted for several days; many landmarks of Brussels died this year;
  • beginning of the 17th century - the Grand Place was rebuilt by wealthy guilds; Now here you can see luxurious guild houses of that time, built in the Baroque or Louis XIV style.

Each building on this square is a true masterpiece of world Gothic art. There are Brussels hotels nearby where you can relax after all the excursions.

Grand Place: architectural appearance

The beauty of the square lies in the buildings that are located on it. For example, the 15th century town hall is unique in its architecture:

  • the original town hall tower is 91 meters high;
  • its spire is crowned with a weather vane in the form of a 5-meter copper figure of the Archangel Michael;
  • the façade of the building is decorated with hundreds of statues;
  • the interior of the Town Hall is richly decorated with paintings and carpets;
  • in the courtyard you can see two picturesque fountains.

The King's House, which now houses the Belgian City Museum, is a fine example of the neo-Gothic style of architecture. You can also visit the wonderful museum complex Royal Museums of Fine Arts.

The magnificent traditions of the Grand Place include the creation of a huge carpet of flowers every two years. An incredible sight is the pattern of millions of multi-colored begonias. Its size is 24 x 77 meters, and total area– 1,800 sq. meters.

Once in the very center of Brussels - on the Grand Place - you cannot pass by this Gothic splendor. Here you want to walk endlessly, exploring the sights of Brussels that decorate this square with their Gothic lace.

Working hours: The large market is open daily from 9:00 to 20:00.

To visit Brussels and not see the Grand Place (Market Square, or Grote Markt in Flemish) is to miss one of the most important places in the city. It is not for nothing that this square is included in the UNESCO World List as an object of world cultural and historical significance, and Victor Hugo expressed the opinion that this is one of the most beautiful places in Europe.

The most interesting buildings of the square are considered to be the town hall and the Royal, or Bread House. These are the oldest buildings that survived the shelling of the square in August 1695 by French troops.

A little history:

Back in the early 12th century, there were swamps in this place, which were then drained. There was once an extended section of a shepherd's road along which livestock was driven. In subsequent years, the square was the site of knightly tournaments for the Burgundian nobility.

2.
Royal House on the Grand Place

In the 13th century, the building of the Bread House appeared, which served as a warehouse for food. In Dutch it is still called that, and in French it is Royal House. At the end of the 19th century, the house was renovated in the spirit of the luxurious Baroque of the 16th century. The building is now occupied by the City Museum. In one of its halls, 350 ancient costumes are collected, and 517 outfits for the “pissing boy” are stored here.

The town hall was erected during the heyday of Gothic (91-meter tower 1402-1455, side parts until 1480). On the spire of the town hall tower there is a 5-meter weather vane made of copper, depicting how the Archangel Michael tramples on the dark forces.

The statues on the facade were destroyed, and in the 20th century they were restored from surviving images. The interior decoration of the town hall is interesting with its picturesque canvases and locally made wall hangings. The courtyard is decorated with fountains depicting the Meuse and Scheldt - the most important rivers.

After the Belgian-French War in the late 17th century, merchants from wealthy guilds quickly rebuilt houses around the square.

33 new buildings in the then fashionable pseudo-Gothic and Baroque styles, in combination with the Gothic style of the town hall, largely shaped modern look area.

3.
View of the square

In even-numbered years, starting from 1986, on August 15-18, a flower carpet of different varieties of begonias is created on the Market Square. The result is a drawing measuring 24m x 77m, the area of ​​which is about 1.8 thousand square meters. Crowds of beauty lovers flock to Brussels these days.

Every morning there is a flower market on the Grand Place, and on Sundays there is also a bird market.

In a side street next to the square behind a secure fence there is a small figurine of the “Manneken Pis”, the unofficial symbol of Brussels and the most famous Belgian monument. The first version of the statue appeared in the 14th century, but, unfortunately, it has not survived.

Drawings on the asphalt after the terrorist attack in March 2016:

On March 22, a series of terrorist attacks occurred in Brussels in the metro and airport, causing casualties. After the attacks, city residents left numerous drawings around the Grand Place to commemorate the event, with messages of peace, love and solidarity:

Somehow writing my trip report came to a standstill. I would like to write about Brussels in more detail, but somehow all the attractions are not grouped, and the story about them is not built in a logical sequence...
I came to the conclusion: I will put those attractions about which I found a lot of information in separate posts, and I will write about the rest in the final part about Brussels.

So, today the most beautiful square in the world, according to Victor Hugo, and not only him, is the Grand Place (Grand Place - French or Grote Markt - Dutch “big market”):

Grand Place is the central square of Brussels, about 110 m long and 68 m wide. The market square arose in the 11th century on the site of dried marshes. In the early Middle Ages, small wooden houses were scattered throughout the area, but starting from the 14th century, they were replaced by stone buildings. The market is gradually turning into the main shopping and administrative center of the city.

Due to the growing importance of the city, the city authorities decide to demolish some of the wooden houses and build a new town hall in their place, which would meet the city's need for a large administrative center. So in 1402, construction began on the town hall building, which to this day is the dominant feature of the square. The longer left wing of the building was built in 1402-1422 by the architect Jacob Van Tienen to expand the existing tower. Later, a decision was made to further expand the town hall. So in 1444-1448, an unknown architect completed the right wing, shorter than the first. This was due to the fact that the surroundings of the square had formed by that time and the neighboring buildings did not allow making the right side symmetrical to the left. In 1449-1455 on the spot old tower a new 96-meter high was erected according to the design of the architect Jan van Ruysbroeck. The tower is crowned with a gilded statue of the Archangel Michael killing the devil, the patron saint of Brussels.

Looking at the town hall, one cannot help but notice the asymmetry, which I already wrote about above. Therefore, there was even a legend in Brussels that the architect committed suicide by throwing himself from the tower when he noticed that the tower was not in the middle.

Opposite the tower stands the building of the Bread House (or the King's House) in the neo-Gothic style.

The presence of two such different names for one building was determined by history. In the 13th century, there was a wooden building on this site, which was used by bakers as a premises for selling bread. Hence the Dutch “Broodhuis” - bread house. At the beginning of the 15th century, the building was used less by bakers, but more and more was used for administrative purposes by the Duke of Brabant, hence the French name “Maison Du Roi” - the house of the king. During the reign of Emperor Charles V, a stone building was built in gothic style(1515-1536). In subsequent years, the building housed a royal court and even a prison. It was here that the Counts of Egmon and de Hornes spent their last night before their execution at the Grand Place on June 5, 1568. After the shelling of the French army in 1695, the Bread House was partially destroyed. In 1868, by order of Mayor Jules Anspach, the city authorities bought this house, which by that time was in a deplorable condition. The entire building was rebuilt from scratch in the neo-Gothic style according to the design of the architect Victor Yamar (1873). The bread house became a museum of the city of Brussels on June 2, 1887.

However, the glory and beauty of the Grand Place is created not only by the town hall and the King’s House, but, perhaps, above all, amazing beauty guild houses. And although all the houses located on the square are usually called “guild houses,” some of them never belonged to craftsmen’s guilds, but were privately owned.

In the Middle Ages and later, every city had many guilds - associations of artisans. The rich and politically powerful guilds sought to display their importance in the decoration of the houses in which they met regularly to discuss new rules and regulations for the trade of their goods. In Brussels, the guilds, of course, built their representative houses around the Grand Place. After the almost complete destruction in August 1695, the city authorities ordered the guilds to submit plans for the restoration of the houses for final approval. Thus, the stylistic unity of the square was preserved.

In the Middle Ages, houses were not numbered, but had names. The names of the houses were indicated by some small statue or part of the facade decoration. Of course, after so many centuries it is not always possible to find the detail that gave the house its name.

I tried to find out the names of all the houses and the names of the guilds to which they belonged. In general, this is not an easy matter, but it is interesting...

Houses located to the left of the town hall (numbered from right to left)

No. 1 "King of Spain". The house belonged to the bakers' guild. Above the door is a bust of Saint Aubert, patron saint of bakers, and above that is a bust of Charles II, King of Spain.
No. 2-3 “Trolley”. The house belonged to the guild of fat and oil producers, and later tallow candle merchants, and is decorated with a statue of Saint Gilles, the patron saint of this guild.
No. 4 “Bag”. The house belonged to the guild of coopers and cabinetmakers.
No. 5 "She-Wolf". The house belonged to the archers' guild. The facade is crowned with the figure of a phoenix, reborn from ashes and flames and which became a symbol of the restoration of the city after shelling by French troops in 1695. The house is decorated with a relief depicting Romulus and Remus suckled by a she-wolf, hence the name.
No. 6. "Cornet" (or "Horn"). The house belonged to the boatmen's guild, which is why the pediment of the house is made in the shape of the stern of a ship.
No. 7. "Fox". The house belonged to the haberdashers' guild. The reliefs above the second floor depict allegories of the four continents. Previously, the house was crowned with a statue of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of the guild.

Houses located to the right of the town hall (numbered from right to left)

No. 8 "Star". Amman House. In 1852, the house was dismantled, and in 1897, on the initiative of Mayor Charles Bouls, it was restored, although the first floor was replaced by an arcade. Behind the arcade is a plaque paying tribute to Charles Bouls for his services in preserving the historical appearance of the Grand Place, as well as to the architects of the Grand Place.

And this is a monument to the mayor of Brussels Charles Bouls, not far from the Grand Place

Next to the plaque is a monument to Everard "t Serclaes - the medieval hero of Brussels.
No. 9. "Swan". The house belonged to the butchers' guild. In the 19th century, this house was a cafe where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels visited.
No. 10 “Golden Tree”. The house belonged to the brewers' guild. The façade is completed by an equestrian statue of Charles of Lorraine.
No. 11 "Rose". A private house.
No. 12 "Mount Tabor". A private house.

Numbering of houses from right to left

No. 12a “King of Bavaria” - private house.
No. 13-18 “House of the Dukes of Brabant.” In fact, behind one monumental façade designed by Guillaume de Bruyna, there are 6 separate houses hidden. The facade is decorated with 19 busts of the Dukes of Brabant, who gave the name to this house.
No. 13 "Glory". A private house.
No. 14 "Hermitage". The house belonged to the guild of tapestries and furniture upholsterers.
No. 15 “Luck”. House of the Tanners' Guild.
No. 16 " Windmill" House of the Millers' Guild.
No. 17 "Tin Pot". House of the Guild of Carpenters and Carriage Makers.
No. 18 "Hill". House of the Guild of Sculptors and Masons. Or in other words, “The House of the Four Crowned Guilds”: sculptors, masons, roofers and stonemasons.
No. 19 “Wallet”. A private house.

To the right of the Bread House (numbering from right to left)

No. 20 "Deer". A private house.
No. 21-22 “Joseph and Anna.” Two private houses united by a common facade.
No. 23 "Angel". A private house.
No. 24-25 “Golden Boat”. House of the Tailors Guild. Above the entrance is a bust of Saint Vavara.
No. 26-27 "Dove". House of the Artists' Guild. During his stay in Brussels, Victor Hugo lived in this house.
No. 28 "Rooms of Amman". A private house.

To the left of the Bread House (numbered from right to left)

No. 34 "Helmet". A private house.
No. 35 "Peacock". A private house.
No. 36 "Oak". A private house.
No. 37 "Little Fox". A private house.
No. 38 "Saint Barbara". A private house.
No. 39 "Donkey". A private house.

Still, it’s interesting to study history by the names of houses, to find out what guilds existed in medieval Brussels...

To be continued...

Brussels has plenty of attractions to keep you and your family busy during your holiday here. beautiful city. These attractions are best visited during the day, while in the evening you can enjoy exotic and trendy restaurants and bars. You can also use excursion buses"Hop on Hop off”, which will conveniently deliver you to your destination and allow you to enjoy the sights of the city at any time within 24 hours from the moment of first use.

Grand Place

Grand Place - the central square of Brussels and the first thing tourists usually visit in the city. Its name is in French Grand place and in Dutch Grote markt. The small but graceful 15th-century town square has passed through the centuries to become a modern manifestation of Brussels' history, listed World Heritage UNESCO. All the buildings on the square have historical value, and the town hall of the Hotel de Ville is still open today! The square is located in the heart of Brussels, close to Brussels Centrale train station.
Metro: Bourse/Beurs, Gare Centrale/Cenraal

Pissing boy

Just a few short and narrow streets from the Grand Place is the famous Mannekin Pis statue what is this work of art called? local residents. The Manneken Pis not only attracts thousands of curious tourists to Brussels every year: the Brussels residents themselves hold many celebrations at this bronze fountain. At last count, this little boy has already acquired more than 700 costumes from many countries around the world for all the events held throughout the year.
Address: Intersection of Rue de l"Etuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chene/Eikstraat
Metro: Bourse/Beurs, Gare Centrale/Cenraal, Anneessens

Palace of Justice

Palace of Justice- a majestic building towering over the entire city, from the windows of which a stunning view of evening Brussels opens. The building still serves its main functions and serves as a meeting place Supreme Court Belgium. The palace is crowned with a majestic gilded dome, and its facade overlooking the square is decorated with numerous columns.
Address: Poelaertplein 1
Metro: Louise/Louiza

Atomium

Mini Europe

Mini-Europe is theme park , where you can admire small copies of the most famous monuments, landmarks and landscapes of Europe. The Mini-Europe park is located in Brupark at the foot of the Atomium. Families with children can look forward to an unforgettable day at this beautiful and educational park. The miniatures presented here are 25 times smaller than the originals. Among the most famous exhibits, it is worth highlighting the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Mount Vesuvius and, of course, the Grand Place!
Address: Bruparck
Metro: Heysel/Heizel
Website: http://www.minieurope.eu

European Quarter

The European Union has firmly established itself in Brussels. Constant EU activity in the city has caused the growth European quarter in the eastern part of the city, located between the Arts-Loi, Trone, Maalbeek and Schuman metro stations. In this rectangle, street after street there are houses made of glass and concrete, in which various structures of the European Union and other international organizations work, including the headquarters of NATO. Many countries have also opened their embassies here, taking advantage of the proximity of EU institutions.
Metro: Arts-Loi/Kunst-wet, Trone/Troon, Maalbeek, Schuman

Place Grand Sablon

This one is wonderful architectural ensemble consists of buildings from the 16th to 19th centuries. Today on Grand Sablon square There are mainly high-end antique shops, restaurants and chocolate shops. At Grand Sablon you can have a pleasant dinner or just take a walk surrounded by the indescribable atmosphere of antiquity. Every weekend, the square is enlivened by an antique market with its red and green awnings, attracting crowds of curious onlookers.
Address: Place du Grand Sablon
Metro: Louise/Louiza, Porte de Namur/Naamseport

Fiftieth Anniversary Park

Parc du Cinquantenaire or Jubelpark- not just a park, but a real national landmark. Translated, the name of the park means “fiftieth anniversary park.” The park was created under Leopold II in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence.
The fiftieth anniversary park is symbolically shaped like a pentagon, like the inner and outer ring of the city. The park is located just outside the inner ring, near the European Quarter. In the southeastern part of the park, behind the fountain marking the entrance to the park, there is a huge arch.
The two wings of the arch are the location of three museums. In the left wing there is the Autoworld car museum, demonstrating the evolution of the car from its very invention to the present day. The right wing houses the art and military museums. Visitors can climb for free to the top of the arch, which offers good views of Brussels and the European Quarter.
The park hosts many different events: concerts, parties, festivals, aperitifs, film screenings. This is even the starting line for the Brussels Marathon.
You can get to the Fifty Anniversary Park from the Merode metro station, or at reverse side park from Schuman metro station.
Metro: Merode, Schuman


 

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