Grand-Place of Brussels

The Grand-Place is the central square of the City of Brussels. All over the world it is known for its decorative and aesthetic wealth. The Grand-Place is surrounded by the guild houses, the City Hall and the Maison du Roi.

The Grand-Place is considered as one of the most beautiful places of the world. The Grand-Place of Brussels was registered on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO in 1998.

History of the Grand-Place

At the Grand-Place, numerous historic events took place:

  • 1523: the first Protestant martyrs, Hendrik Voes and Jan Van Essen, are burned by the Inquisition there
  • 1568: the counts of Egmont and Hoorn are beheaded there
  • August 1695: during the War of the League of Augsbourg, most of the houses on the Grand-Place were destroyed during a bombardment of the City by the French troops of marshal De Villeroy. Only the facade and the tower of the City Hall, which were the target, and some stone walls resisted the flaming cannonballs. The houses surrounding the square were quickly reconstructed, in stone this time, by the various guilds. Among these, the house of the Brewers guild which shelters the External site Brewers Museum today.

Events on the Grand-Place

Nowadays, numerous festive or cultural events are organized on the Grand-Place:

  • the Flower carpet (77 x 24m, event organized every 2 years in mid-August and with more than 500.000 begonias
  • the Ommegang which commemorates the tribute created in 1549 during the coming of Charles the Fifth in Brussels to present it his son, the future Philippe II
  • the Christmas tree
  • the procession of the Meyboom
  • concerts
  • ...

The events and life on the Grand-Place can be seen via the webcam of the Grand-Place.

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Grand-Place of Brussels