Buildings on a square in Brussels. Grand Place in Brussels is the central square of the capital of Belgium. Grand Palace - flower carpet

The Grand Place has been the heart of Brussels since the Middle Ages. Victor Hugo, the famous French writer of the last century, who lived for some time in Brussels, called the Grand Place the most beautiful of the main squares in Europe, and for good reason)

Grand Place(in Flemish Grote Markt), or Great Market, is a historical square in the center of Brussels, one of the most important tourist sites in the city. Two of the most important attractions are located here - the Brussels City Hall and the House of Bread or the House of the King.

The market square arose in the 12th century on the site of dried marshes. At the very beginning, it was just the market square of old Brussels, one of the villages on the ancient shepherd's road along which herds were driven. The village grew and became rich thanks to trade. The development of the Grand Place began in 1402 with the building of the Hôtel de Ville town hall, occupying most on its side of the square and was largely completed in 1480. The original town hall tower, 91 meters high, was built from 1449 to 1455. Its spire is topped with a weather vane in the shape of a five-meter copper figure of the Archangel Michael trampling the devil. On the facade of the building there are more than a hundred statues, these are copies of ancient originals made in the last century. The interiors are richly decorated with Brussels wall hangings and paintings. The two fountains in the courtyard symbolize the two main rivers of Belgium - the Scheldt and the Meuse.

Brussels City Hall day and night

On the opposite side of the square, the Bread House was built in the 13th century, which, as the name suggests, was used to store bread. Later this building became known as the King's House. Interestingly, in Dutch the older name (bread house) is still used, while in French the building is called “the king’s house.” It was renovated in all the splendor of its 16th-century architectural style between 1873 and 1895, and now houses the City Museum. One of its most interesting halls displays a collection of costumes with more than 350 exhibits.

On August 13, 1695, the French army began shelling Brussels for several days. As a result, the entire city center was destroyed. On Grand Place Only the town hall and, partially, the Bread House survived.

However, after the end of the war, the square was quickly (in just four years) rebuilt by wealthy guilds. As a result, the square took on an appearance very close to its current one. 33 guild buildings built in the 17th century, either in pseudo-Gothic or Baroque style, complete the rectangle of the square.

Every day in the morning a flower market opens on the square, and on Sundays there is a bird market. Once upon a time, the Burgundian nobility organized knightly tournaments here.

Not far from the Grand Place is the famous “Manniken-Pis”, or “Manneken Pis”, “the oldest citizen of the capital” and “the bold emblem of Brussels”. The first, unsurvived copy dates back to the 14th century. Oddly enough, this monument is the country's most famous monument and today has 517 textile ceremonial costumes and has been awarded many orders.

Ensemble of Brussels Grand Place listed World Heritage UNESCO.

I continue my story about our trip to Belgium. Today I have a short note about one of the most beautiful central squares in Europe - Grand Place. Brussels Market Square was one of the few that was built in a single style, and what is most amazing is that it has retained its pristine beauty to this day!

We weren't very lucky with the weather in Brussels. It was quite cloudy, and the air temperature varied from +18 to +20 degrees, which is quite cool for the month of June. In one of my previous posts, I already wrote about, which was quite well located. So, let's start our walk around the city from the most beautiful square in Europe - Grand Place, which is located in the very heart of Brussels.

Grand Place in Brussels

The main attraction of Brussels is the Grand Place. In various unofficial rankings of the most beautiful squares, Brussels Market Square ranks the most high places. What can I say, she is really very beautiful.

The cascade of houses on the Grand Place is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Construction of the square began at the beginning of the 12th century. Two landmarks stand out clearly on the Grand Place - the town hall and the bread house. If by the appearance of the town hall, you can still understand that this is the building of the local parliament, then the bread house, in my understanding, is a completely different building.

Bread House or King's House

In fact, another name for this structure is the king's house. The first mention of the bread house dates back to the 13th century. In fact, at first, supplies of bread were actually stored in it. Later, the building began to be used as a court and prison. The building now houses the Brussels Communal Museum. This is such a gothic prison, however!
Brussels City Hall looks even more majestic. In its beauty it can only be rivaled by the building of the same name in Vienna.

The building is also made in the Gothic style. The texture and structure of the façade have been perfectly preserved. Honestly, this building alone can be viewed from different angles for a very long time.

It’s amazing how everything has been preserved, human figures, some mythical creatures protruding from the walls. Of course, the Grand Place is business card cities!

There are also various merchant houses on the square. In total, there are more than 40 houses on the square, built in the Gothic style of the 14th-17th centuries! One of the most beautiful buildings on the Grand Place, in my opinion, is the house of the Belgian brewers.

Built at the end of the 17th century, the building now serves as a brewing museum. By the way, in my opinion, Belgian beer is one of the most delicious in the world. The only thing that can compete with it is Czech beer, and only in the light beer segment. I don’t know how interesting it is to visit this museum, but Belgian beer is definitely worth trying. It’s better, of course, to sit down somewhere in the alleys, in one of the many pubs in Brussels. On the Grand Place, prices in restaurants will be much higher.

just the façade of a building on the Grand Place

There are always quite a few people on the square, but it is large enough, so there is a place for everyone, both tourists and art sellers, and someone can park their bike!

There are also various small shops with desserts on the square. I already said once, when I talked about ours, that in Belgium, in addition to the cult of beer, there is also very tasty chocolate. So, you can also buy it at the Grand Place.

The store windows look very appetizing. It’s simply impossible to resist going to one of these establishments!

Here you will find fresh strawberries and various chocolate desserts.

What Belgians can’t come up with, well, for example, strawberry kebab with dark chocolate!

We were tempted by this horn! The price is certainly high, but we are on vacation. You cannot constantly save money in life, otherwise you will have nothing to remember in old age!

Eh.. what could be better than eating strawberries in one of the most beautiful squares in Europe! I repeat, do not spare the money. You won’t become too poor, but you’ll get positive energy for the whole day!

Grand Place is one of those places where you want to return again and again. In 1.5 days we were in this area more than 3 times, and all the time we hung here for at least 30-40 minutes.

Photo of Grand Place at night

We had one of these visits late in the evening. Let's see what the area looks like in dark time days.

I have repeatedly said that it is better to take evening photo walks at dusk, when the sky is still dark blue, and not pure black when night falls. In my photo it’s probably almost night, although there’s a slight tint of blue color is still present in the sky.

In the evening, the Grand Place becomes the main place for young people to hang out. At this time it is especially crowded and noisy here. However, this does not spoil the overall picture. The lighting of the buildings looks amazing.

The Grand Place never sleeps. Honestly, I don’t know what laws the Belgians have regarding drinking alcohol on the street, but in the central market square Nobody really cared about Brussels!

Local youth sing songs right on the square. Everything is very peaceful. I repeat, there was no discomfort in the square.

Just like during the day, the building of the local town hall stands out, which, by the way, is even more difficult to photograph at night than during the day. By the way, about the photo. If you want to photograph the Grand Place at night, be sure to take a tripod with you. There are no parapets on the square and you won’t be able to place your camera somewhere motionless.

This is what it is, the most beautiful square in Europe. I will tell you my opinion that if she had not been in Brussels, most likely we would have simply skipped this city and immediately gone to Paris. But I’m glad that we stopped in the capital of Belgium for one day and had a great time! I wish the same for you!

The Grand Place is listed as a UNESCO heritage site, and all the buildings in the complex architectural structure, are an echo of the 17th century.

It is worth noting that despite its centuries-old history, the square has been perfectly preserved, and all the buildings look well-groomed, and only by the Baroque architectural style can one say that they are more than a hundred years old. Meanwhile, few people remember historical fact, when French soldiers destroyed the entire city and only the Grand Place stood, everything else was destroyed thanks to the multi-day shelling of the French legion.

There is also gothic building Town Hall construction, which dates back to the 15th century. Every day this historical monument-building visited by many tourists, whose gaze is gilded mirrors of those times and the rich decoration of buildings.

Another equally important attraction of the square is the Bread House. And despite the fact that many call this building the house of the king, most still still believe that this is the Bread House. Although, naturally, today bakery products are no longer stored in this building, unlike the times of the 13th century.

And in a couple of months, another attraction will appear on the square, which is created by master florists every two years, and which millions of tourists come to see. Anyone who was in Brussels in mid-August undoubtedly already guessed that we were talking about a flower carpet consisting of a million begonias.

Thanks to all its attractions, the Grand Place rightfully bears the name of the most beautiful and sophisticated square in Europe, and who would have thought that there used to be an ordinary swamp in this place.

Grand Place

The Grand Place, located in the heart of Brussels, is the most beautiful square in Europe. This is the only medieval square in Europe architectural ensemble which was carefully planned.

According to legend, Louis XIV, having once arrived in Brussels and envied its beauty, ordered the city to be bombarded with burning landmines. But the rich merchants of Belgium, sparing no expense, built a new, more beautiful square, the construction of which began in 1402. The buildings surrounding it are masterpieces of world architecture.

Arriving here, you can see the Painter's House, the Tailor's House, the Butcher's House, the Boatman's House and, of course, the most magnificent buildings - the Royal Palace, which now houses the City Museum, and the City Hall.

Rue des Sablons Square

Rue des Sablons is one of the most popular places for shopping lovers. There are boutiques with famous brands, galleries, and shopping centers and antique shops. It is located next to the Jewish Museum of Belgium.

The name of this historical square comes from the French “sable”, which means sand. In the Middle Ages it was a sandy slope. Nowadays the place is filled with art galleries and expensive cafes.

She is considered best place to buy antiques. It is here that every Sunday there is an antiques fair where you can buy dishes, paintings and jewelry. You will also find a large selection of souvenirs and gifts in the square, including the most popular - lace, chocolate and beer.

Appeared in the 12th century. A century later, the Bread House was built, and trade began to flourish on the territory, and tournaments and city festivals began to be held. Later, the building was called the King's House, although in Dutch it still sounds like “Bread House” (Broodhuis). But in the French manner, the attraction is usually called the royal house (Maison du Roi).

The historical building on the Grand Place has changed its appearance and purpose more than once. IN different time there was a grain warehouse, a tax office, living quarters and even a prison. At the beginning of the 15th century, they began to build a town hall on the square, which has survived to this day, despite wars and fires. The architectural masterpiece was designed by Jacob van Tienen and Jan van Ruysbroeck and took almost half a century to build. At the end of construction, the building was crowned with a watchtower almost 100 meters high, where a statue of the city’s patron saint, St. Michael, was placed. It stood in its original form for more than 500 years, and in 1996 it was replaced with a new one.

In 1695, several thousand French troops captured Brussels on the orders of Louis XIV. The capital was bombed for more than a day, and the city center, along with the Grand Place, was practically destroyed in the fire. Valuable exhibits that were stored in the town hall did not survive either: paintings by great painters, expensive objects of art, archival documents. The area was partially restored a few years later. Almost a century later, a detailed reconstruction of the buildings located on the Grand Place began. Mine modern look The architectural ensemble acquired closer to the 19th century.

How to get there

The exact address: 1000 Brussels.

Option 1

Metro: Take lines 1 or 5 to De Brouckere station.

On foot: Walk 8 minutes along Boulevard Anspach, then turn left onto Kiekenmarkt and walk 4 minutes to Grand Place.

Option 2

Bus: Routes no. 48 and 95 to the Parlement Bruxellois stop.

On foot: walk 3 minutes along Rue des Chapeliers to the Grand Place.

Option 3

Tram: Routes no. 3, 4, 31 or 32 to the Bourse stop.

On foot: walk 4 minutes along Rue Henri Maus and Rue au Beurre to the Grand Place.

Grand Place on the map

Attractions nearby

Brussels City Hall was built in the Gothic style. The facade is decorated with elegant sculptures that depict the Dukes of Brabant, who ruled the state for a thousand years. The mayor's residence is still located there. Inside, the halls are decorated with tapestries and paintings, and the wedding hall is luxuriously decorated. The Town Hall on the Grand Place is open to visitors on Wednesdays from 13:00 to 15:00 and on Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00. The ticket price for one adult is 5 euros ( ~366 rub. ).

The King's House now houses the City Museum. Exhibitions here are dedicated to Brussels history. The exhibition presents unique collections of medals, maps, banners, and rare documents. The museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 10:00 to 17:00. Entrance - 8 euros ( ~586 rub. ).

Very close to the Grand Place, on the corner of Bannaya and Oak streets, there is a world-famous sculpture -. During its history, it was stolen several times, replaced with copies and became overgrown with numerous legends. One of them tells how a certain boy saved the Royal Castle from a starting fire by peeing on the fire. Another tells of the young heir of the ruler of Lower Lorraine, who allegedly urinated on his enemies from a cradle hanging on a tree, thanks to which they lost the battle. It is curious that on holidays, instead of water, beer or wine flows in the fountain. The sculpture is also constantly dressed up in different costumes - there are several hundred of them in total, they are stored in a separate room of the Royal House.

Festive floral carpet

Once every two years, the famous Carpet of Flowers festival takes place on the Grand Place. The tradition was started in 1971, and since then similar events have been held in other cities, for example, in. But many note that it is flower carpets that are most elegant in execution.

The event attracts a huge number of tourists who dream of seeing a living masterpiece measuring almost two thousand square meters, created by the best Belgian florists. The carpet consists of 750,000 begonias, which are planted directly on the Grand Place. Every year it has a unique ornament that is developed over time. Hundreds of gardeners plant plants within a few hours. A flower carpet looks especially spectacular from a height - for example, from observation deck town halls, where people are allowed in for a small fee. Up close, you can see all the details and feel the heady aroma of begonias.

You can visit the festival completely free of charge, but it is worth considering that the number of tourists during the festival increases several times. The event lasts only a few days. The next festival at the Grand Place will take place in 2018, from 16 to 19 August.

Where to stay

Residence Le Quinze Grand Place Brussels

The hotel is located at 15 Grand Place. Rooms are simply and elegantly decorated and include a free buffet breakfast. You can book a room for a price starting from 6,000 rubles.

Ibis Hotel Brussels off Grand'Place

The hotel is located just 150 meters from the Grand Place. A room costs on average about 12,000 rubles. The rooms have air conditioning, modern TVs and satellite channels. You can order a variety of authentic Belgian beers from the bar.

Aris Grand Place Hotel

A night in a hotel will cost approximately 3,500 rubles. The center of the Grand Place is just a couple of minutes' walk away. The top floors offer magnificent views of the city surroundings.

Boutique Hotel Saint-Gery

Hotel with jazz bar just 400 meters from the main town square. A room costs around 4,000 rubles, but it is better to book in advance - places here are snapped up instantly.

Quality Hostel Brussels Grand Place

Most inexpensive option accommodation in the Grand Place area - book a place in a hostel from 1,200 rubles. The central square and the main attractions are located just a few steps away. You can cook in the shared kitchen; the rooms are decorated in vintage style.

Aparthotel Adagio Brussels Grand Place

Aparthotel Adagio is located between the Grand Place and Rue Neuf, close to the Anspach mall. The price per room will be from 5,000 rubles. In total, the hotel has 140 apartments with an equipped kitchen and a gym.

The architectural ensemble of the Grand Place is a real pearl of Brussels. Besides the Town Hall and the Royal House, there are many others interesting buildings. Each of them has its own unusual name: “She-Wolf”, “Fox”, “Oak”, “Sack” and so on. On average, sightseeing takes two hours. After this, the convenient location and good transport links in the Grand Place area allow you to continue your tour of the rest of the city. If you want to relax a little, there are many places in the square cozy cafes, among which are the famous Golden Longboat tavern, where Victor Hugo lived, and the Swan House restaurant, where Marx and Engels read the “Manifesto of the Communist Party” for the first time. By the way, on weekdays (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) there is a flower market on the square, and on Sundays there is a bird market. At different times, the square can host anything from Christmas markets to rock concerts.

Grand Place is one of the main avenues of the Belgian capital, located in the heart of the metropolis and proud of its unique attractions. From this famous place It’s worth starting excursions around the city, because according to legend, it was this site that marked the beginning of the emergence and development. In addition, it is not only the active, but also the historical center of the capital.

Grand Place in Brussels: history of creation

The history of the famous ancient square began in the 12th century, when numerous swamps were dried up on its future territory. Over the next few centuries, the infrastructure of the structure was built:
— In the 13th century the famous Bread House appeared, or, as it is also called “The King’s House”
— In the 15th century, the left side of the Town Hall was built.
The end of the 17th century was disastrous for the Grand Place, since during the French attack the well-groomed modern site was left in complete ruins; only the Town Hall managed to survive in almost its original form, which lost only the sculptures on the facade and the monument to St. Michael at the top of the tower.
After the end of hostilities, the square was quickly reconstructed thanks to the participation of wealthy guilds. Most of the buildings were reminiscent of the style of Louis XIV, and were also carried out in the Baroque architectural style. The appearance of the square from those times has largely been preserved to this day.
In 1998, the architectural ensemble of the central square was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Modern Grand Place in Brussels is a unique architectural monument that is very popular among tourists and residents of the capital. It amazes with its unusual architecture, as well as the historical buildings located on its expanses, erected during the Middle Ages:
1) Brussels Town Hall is a beautiful metropolitan building, built in the 15th century and intended for the work of the city administration. Over time, the administration of the capital was moved to another building, but the mayor of the metropolis continues to work in historical building. Despite the fact that the head of the city continues to sit in the town hall, you can appreciate the luxury of its interiors during group excursions, which take place over just a few hours, two days a week.
The interior decoration of the building is reminiscent of royal chambers, since expensive materials, gilded decorative elements, and luxurious tapestries were used in its modeling. No less surprising is the façade of the building, which has an asymmetrical shape and is decorated with numerous statues of rulers and sculptures of saints.

2) The Bread House (or the King’s House) is an ancient building, which, despite its second name, was not used for the work of monarchs for a single day. It is often called a record holder among buildings that have repeatedly changed their appearance and purpose. So, in the history of the building the following functions are known:
- in the 13th century the building was used as a warehouse for bakery products
- a few years later it was converted into a place for holding criminals
- then it was bought by the Duke of Brabant and played the role of his personal tax office, and then became the family estate of the ruler.
- after the conquest of Brussels by the French, the Duke's House began to be called the House of the People, which, due to the vesting of foreign governors with royal privileges, was renamed the House of the King.
Nowadays, the historical building houses the city museum, the exhibition of which consists of works by Belgian craftsmen who worked in various historical eras. Among the exhibits of the cultural institution you can find stunning tapestries, interesting paintings, and even modern reconstructions historical center cities.
In addition, on the Grand Place for about 30 years in a row, starting from August 15, for several days you can watch a parade of flowers that cover the avenue like a fluffy multi-colored carpet.

Grand Place: how to get there?

The Grand Place is located in the very center of the Belgian capital, so you can get to it by several means of transport:
— by trams
The main avenue of the city is reached by routes No. 3, 4, 31, 32, which stop at the Bourse stop.
- by buses going to the Parlement Bruxellois stop (No. 48 and 95)
Also nearby Large area De Brouckere metro station is located.