Grand Place in Brussels (Grand place, Grote Markt).  Ariadne's Thread: Guide ~ Belgium ~ Brussels ~ Grand Place Brussels Square

Brussels turned out to be rich in objects included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. There were three of them here. But the most visited is the former market square, the central square of the city, La Grand-Place.

It is visited by almost, if not everyone, who comes to the capital of Belgium. Many do not even suspect that this area is separately allocated to the respected international organization. However, in 1998 La Grand-Place was included in the list of UNESCO sites under number 857.

The official UNESCO website comments on the inclusion of the square in its list:
"La Grande Place in Brussels is an outstanding complex of public and private buildings dating mainly from the end of the 17th century. Their architecture clearly illustrates the level of social and cultural life Brussels as an important political and shopping center Europe at that time" (whc.unesco.org/en/list/857)

Well versed English language can read a lot more on the UNESCO website, but I’ll allow myself a short historical excursion and several photos of objects that form this architectural ensemble.

UNESCO defines La Grand-Place as a 15th century monument. It is this century that dates back to the construction of the majestic Gothic town hall, which is completely preserved and defines the face of the entire complex of buildings

The town hall began construction in 1402, and acquired its final form in 1455 with the completion of the bell tower, 96 meters high. It is the only surviving building in the center of Brussels after the French artillery bombardment in 1695. The Town Hall sometimes serves as the mayor's residence to this day, but is mostly used for tourist excursions.

An even more ancient building, although partially destroyed in the same 1695 and later restored, is the Bread House or the King's House (Dutch Broodhuis, French Maison du Roi)

The bread house was built in the 13th century on the market, where bread was baked and sold. But during the reign of Emperor Charles V at the beginning of the 16th century, the house was rebuilt in the Gothic style. Since then they have started talking about it as the “House of the King”. So until now it has two equivalent names. Now there is a Brussels Museum, in which, among numerous valuable exhibits, there are more than five hundred costumes of the “Manneken Pis”, the first, fully preserved costume of which was donated by the French King Louis XV back in 1747.

The remaining buildings, bearing the general name "Guild Houses", were rebuilt here within four years by various guilds of Brussels immediately after the destruction of the city center at the end of the 17th century.

That morning, October 6, 2014, when I photographed this material, it was cloudy. But, I think, this will not prevent you from leaving the brightest impressions about the square... For a greater impression, you can see how bright and contrasting the same place looked the night before Night cities... Central Square of Brussels + bonus

P.S. I'll add a few words to last photo monument Everard "t Serclaes - the people's hero of Brussels. (for those who want to know who it is, I give the link en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everard…) I noticed how many tourists stand in line to touch, or better yet, rub something part of the sculpture's body. It definitely means something, and I "rubbed" it too.

It turned out that the locals believe that the statue brings good luck and helps in the fulfillment of desires if you touch it (zealous tourists have already begun to rub it). And, if you touch your hand, you will definitely return to Brussels someday...

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 the hallmark of the city!

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 how the square looks in the dark.

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. It’s probably almost night in my photo, although there is still a slight tint of blue 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. To be honest, I don’t know what laws the Belgians have regarding drinking alcohol on the street, but in the central market square of Brussels no one really bothered!

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!

Grand Place (Grote Markt). Square in the center Brussels, a major tourist attraction, one of the most beautiful squares in the world. The square is 110 meters long and 68 meters wide. It is surrounded by houses built in the 17th century - Guild Houses. The entire market square ensemble was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. Square Grand Place was recognized as the most beautiful square in Europe in 2010. Moscow Red Square then took second place. Here are located City Hall building (Town Hall) And Bread House (King's House, Broodhuis, Maison du Roi). Every two years (in even years) the square is decorated with the famous Flower Carpet from live begonias, which attracts tourists from all over the world.

In the city center in general, and on the Grand Place in particular, the architecture is dominated by medieval houses in the Flemish style, in particular in the Flemish Baroque and Brabant Gothic styles. Architectural ensemble Brussels Grand Place took shape in the XVI - XVIII centuries. The market square itself (simply an open area for trade) arose at the end of the 11th century on the site of dried marshes, near the fortress on the Seine River, from which Brussels began. At first it was called Nedermerckt (lower market). At the beginning of the 13th century, it ceased to be just an open area - the first “pavilions” appeared, so to speak... Soon, as the city grew, it was surrounded by other buildings. It was built in the 13th century Bread House(used for storing bread), later the building became known as The King's House. The building was erected between 1402 and 1455 Town Halls, which is still preserved. However, many buildings around the square were destroyed at one time. On August 13, 1695, the shelling of Brussels by a seventy-thousand-strong French army began, which lasted for several days. As a result, the entire city center was destroyed. Only survived in the market square Town Hall and (partially) Bread House. After the end of the war, the square was rebuilt in four years by wealthy guilds (something like medieval trade unions). The Guild houses are built in the Baroque and Louis XIV styles. Their facades are decorated with carvings, garlands, figurines and columns. Each has its own name and once belonged to a specific guild. The narrow – three or four windows – facades of these buildings are easily recognizable today. For example, the Rozhok House belonged to a shipbuilding workshop and its façade in the upper part resembles the stern of a ship. A House "Swan" was the butchers' office and was accordingly decorated with a sculpture of a swan. In 1845, during the stay of Marx and Engels in Brussels, they often visited the cafe located in this house (this is house number 9), they presented their “Manifesto of the Communist Party” here to interested parties. Standing next door house "Star" famous for its high relief Everard Circles(No. 8). Another house, "She-Wolf", was occupied by the guild of archers, the house "Cart" was built in 1697 by the guild of oil and fat producers. There is also "Oak", "Little Fox", one of the houses was built by the brewers guild (No. 1) - and there now Beer Museum. In the 18th century, the revolutionary masses defaced the Grand Place, destroyed statues of noble people and even symbols of Christianity. The buildings were in terrible condition, the facades were mutilated, repainted and not restored. But the new mayor at the end of the 19th century brought order here - and the square shone in its former splendor. Until November 19, 1959, the area remained truly a market area - trade was going on here... And the famous Flower Carpet appeared here in 1971. This action turned out to be popular - and therefore, since 1986, every two years, on an ongoing basis, from August 15, a huge carpet of multi-colored begonias measuring 24 by 77 meters is created on the Grand Place for several days. with total area 1,800 sq.m. The event attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world. In other years they decorate with flowers Town Hall. Details of the promotions are on www.flowercarpet.be.

	Grand Place

The Grand Place, or Grote Markt, is an important historical and tourist center of Brussels, home to the City Hall and the King's House (or House of Bread). The market square ensemble, built in the Louis XIV and Baroque style, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Grand Place is the most magnificent and elegant central square, surrounded by a square of carefully selected architectural masterpieces belonging to the guilds of merchants and craftsmen: the House of the Painter, the House of the Tailor, the House of the Boatman. The most impressive are the King's House and the City Hall. The town hall was built in 1402, its high spire is decorated with a five-meter copper weather vane in the form of the Archangel Michael, and the statues of the facade depict various stories from the life of the city.

The huge King's House today houses the Communal Museum, which tells the story of the creation of Brussels. Despite its name, this building has never been the home of any king. The lacy stone architecture of the King's House arose on the site of the former Bread House, where in the 13th century. baked and sold bread.

Twice a year, a huge rectangular carpet of flowers is created on the square, decorating the Grand Place for three days. Multi-colored begonias are specially grown near Ghent for this occasion.

You can admire this grandiose spectacle and the beauty of the architectural ensemble by sitting comfortably in one of the cafes on the square. Here you will see the famous Golden Longboat tavern, where Victor Hugo lived, as well as the Swan House restaurant, the entrance to which is decorated with a swan sculpture. It was in this restaurant that the beer hall was located where Marx and Engels first read the “Manifesto of the Communist Party”.

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 royal house(Maison du Roi).

The historical building on the Grand Place has changed its appearance and purpose more than once. At various times 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 ( ~368 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 ( ~589 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 separate room 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 huge number 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. central square and the main attractions from here 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 other interesting buildings. Each of them wears their own unusual name: “She-Wolf”, “Fox”, “Oak”, “Bag” 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 cozy cafes on the square, including 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.