| Royal Galleries | |
|---|---|
Koninklijke Gaanderijen(in Dutch) | |
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 Interactive map of Royal Galleries | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Location | Ostend,Belgium |
| Coordinates | 51°13′34″N2°54′08″E / 51.22611°N 2.90222°E /51.22611; 2.90222 |
| Construction started | 1902 (1902) |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 381.8 metres (1,253 ft) long[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Charles Girault |
TheRoyal Galleries ofOstend (Dutch:Koninklijke Gaanderijen) are a seasideneoclassicalarcade on adike on the beach ofOstend,Belgium. They extend from the royal villa in the east to theHippodrome Wellington horse racing track in the west. The galleries are over 380 metres (1,250 ft) long, with a largepavilion at each end.[1] The luxuryThermae Palace Hotel sits atop the central section.
The Royal Galleries were constructed between 1902 and 1906 following the plans of architectCharles Girault on the orders ofKing Leopold II of Belgium.[1] They allowed the king and his guests to pass from the royal villa on the beach to the racetrack without being inconvenienced by rain or wind. The galleries show Leopold's attachment to Ostend, his favourite resort, and some charged him with neglectingBrussels, the capital, in favour of Ostend. The king followed the construction closely, personally visiting on 25 February 1905. It was built with the allowance that the city of Ostend received in 1902 as compensation for the ban on gambling.
There were originallywrought iron grilles between the columns, though these were melted down in theFirst World War. During theGerman occupation of Belgium during World War II, the galleries were walled off along their entire length, making them a link in Hitler'sAtlantic Wall.
The paintings were a frequent subject of the works of the Ostendsymbolist painterLéon Spilliaert.
The Royal Galleries were listed as a protected monument on 22 September 1981.[1]
The galleries contain a great number of pairedTuscan order columns, with each pair sharing abluestone pedestal, and each column has a simple torus at its base. The columns support anentablature composed of a barearchitrave, afrieze adorned withtriglyphs above each column, and a mouldedcornice that projects strongly out of the wall supported by flat rectangularcorbels.
