BRUSSELS 67

The imposing bulk of Porte de Hal,

evoking Brussels’s medieval past

Palais de Justice j

Place Poelaert 1, 1000 BRU.

City Map 1 C5. Tel (02) 5086578.

@ 34. q Louise. v 91, 92, 93, 94.

# 8am–5pm Mon–Fri. ¢ Jul.

8 on request. 7

Dominating the Brussels

skyline, the Palais de Justice

can be seen from almost any

vantage point in the city. Of

all the ambitious projects

of King Leopold II, this

was perhaps the grandest. It

occupies an area larger than

St Peter’s Basilica in Rome,

and was one of the world’s

most impressive 19th-century

buildings. It was built between

1866 and 1883 by Belgian

architect Joseph Poelaert who

Statues of Count Egmont and Count Hornes at the Place du Petit Sablon

Notre-Dame de

la Chapelle h

Place de la Chapelle 1, 1000 BRU.
City Map 1 C4. Tel (02) 5120737.
@ 27, 29, 38, 63. q Gare Centrale,
Anneessens. v 3, 4, 31, 32, 33.

9am–7pm daily. 5 4pm Sat,

8pm Sun. Flea Market Place du Jeu
de Balle. # mornings daily.

In 1134, Duke Godefroid I
decided to build a chapel
outside the city’s walls. This
quickly became a market
church, serv ing the many
craftsmen who lived nearby.
By 1210, it had become so
popular that it was made the
parish church. In 1250, it
became truly famous when
a donation of five pieces of
the True Cross turned the
church into a pilgrimage site.
The majority of the original
Romanesque church was des-
troyed by fire in 1405. When
rebuilding began in 1421, it
was in a Gothic style typical
of 15th-century Brabant
architecture. The Baroque bell
tower was added after the
French bombard ment in 1695
(see p42). Monstrous gargoyles
peer down from the exterior
walls, while inside, a chapel

Porte de Hal k

Boulevard du Midi, 1000 BRU.

City Map 1 B5. Tel (02) 5341518.

@ 27, 48. q Porte de Hal. v 3,

55, 90. # 9.30am–5pm Tue–Fri,

10am–5pm Sat and Sun. & 7

http://www.kmkg-mrah.be

This impressive bastion is the

only surviving gate from the

14th-century medieval city

walls that once sur rounded

Brussels, and is a vivid indi-

cator of their colos sal scale.

The walls were pulled down

in the 18th century, but their

pentagon-shaped path is now

occupied by the inner ring

road and so is still clearly

visible on maps. The Porte

de Hal (the gate on the road

towards Halle or Hal) survived

because it was used as a

prison. It was heavily restored

in the 1860s when medieval

heritage was once again cher-

ished. Under the direction of

the Musées Royaux d’Art et

d’Histoire (see p77), it now

presents a perm anent collec-

tion of armour and weapons,

a historical account of the

guilds of Brussels and some

temp orary exhibitions. There

is also a walkway on the ram-

parts which offers fine views.

side of the fountain are
12 statues of 15th- and 16th-
century figures, including
those of Renaissance artist
Bernard van Orley and the
Flemish map-maker Gerhard
Mercator, whose 16th-century
projection of the world is the
basis of most modern maps.

found inspiration for it in

the designs of Classical tem-

ples built for the Egyptian

pharoahs. Unfortunately,

Poelaert died in 1879 while it

was still under con struction.

The Palais de Justice is still

home to the city’s law courts.

and plaque commem orate

the 16th-century Belgian artist

Pieter Brueghel the Elder (see

p22) who lived in Rue Haute

nearby, and is buried here.

Rue Haute leads through

the traditionally working-class

and independent-minded dis-

trict known as Les Marolles.

The area was home to crafts-

men and weavers, and street

names such as Rue des

Brodeurs (Embroiderers’ Street)

and Rue des Charpentiers

(Carpenters’ Street) reflect the

district’s artisanal history.

Today, the area is known

for its fine Flea Market in the

Place du Jeu de Balle, with

the biggest and best markets

held on Sundays. These sell

almost anything from junk to

pre-war collector’s items.