| Royal Palace of Brussels | |
|---|---|
 The Royal Palace of Brussels seen from thePlace des Palais/Paleizenplein | |
 Interactive map of the Royal Palace of Brussels area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Palace |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Location | Place des Palais / Paleizenplein, 1000City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°50′30″N04°21′44″E / 50.84167°N 4.36222°E /50.84167; 4.36222 |
| Current tenants | Belgian royal family |
| Construction started | 1783 (1783) |
| Completed | 1934 (1934) |
| Client | KingLeopold II |
| Owner | Belgian State |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 33,027 m2 (355,500 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects |
|
| Other designers | François Rude,Jan Fabre |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | |
| Website | |
| www | |
| References | |
| [1] | |
TheRoyal Palace of Brussels (French:Palais royal de Bruxelles[palɛʁwajaldəbʁysɛl];Dutch:Koninklijk Paleis van Brussel[ˈkoːnɪŋkləkpaːˈlɛisfɑmˈbrʏsəl];[a]German:Königlicher Palast von Brüssel[ˈkøːnɪklɪçɐpaˈlastfɔnˈbʁʏsl̩]) is the official palace of theKing and Queen of the Belgians in the centre of the nation's capital,Brussels. However, it is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in theRoyal Palace of Laeken in northern Brussels.[2] The website of the Belgian Monarchy describes the function of the Royal Palace as follows:
The Royal Palace is where His Majesty the King exercises his prerogatives as Head of State, grants audiences and deals with affairs of state. Apart from the offices of the King and the Queen, the Royal Palace houses the services of the Grand Marshal of the Court, the King's Head of Cabinet, the Head of the King's Military Household and the Intendant of the King's Civil List. The Royal Palace also includes the State Rooms where large receptions are held, as well as the apartments provided for foreign Heads of State during official visits.
The first nucleus of the present-day building dates from the end of the 18th century. However, the grounds on which the Royal Palace stands were once part of thePalace of Coudenberg, a very old palatial complex that dated back to theMiddle Ages.[3] The existing façade was only built after 1900 on the initiative of KingLeopold II.[1]
The Royal Palace is situated in front ofBrussels Park, from which it is separated by a long square called thePlace des Palais/Paleizenplein. This area is served byBrussels-Central railway station, as well as by themetro stationsParc/Park (on lines1 and5) andTrône/Troon (on lines2 and6).
The first building on theCoudenberg hill was constructed between the second half of the 11th and first half of the 12th century.[4] At that time, it probably looked like a fortified castle forming a part of thecity's fortifications. It was the home of theDukes of Brabant, who also resided in the nearby city ofLeuven and inTervuren Castle.[5] In the following centuries, it was rebuilt, extended, and improved, in line with the increased prestige of the Dukes of Brabant and their successors: theDukes of Burgundy,Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor,Albert VII, Archduke of Austria and InfantaIsabella Clara Eugenia of Spain, as well as successiveGovernors of the Habsburg Netherlands.
TheAula Magna, a gigantic room for royal receptions and otherpageantry, was built forPhilip the Good in the 15th century.[6][7][8] The first regular meetings of theStates General, composed of delegates from the middle class, clergy and nobility of theBurgundian Netherlands, were held there in 1465. It was in this room that, in 1515,Duchess Margaret of Austria formally relinquished herregency over theHabsburg Netherlands toCharles of Habsburg. It was also in this same room that, in 1555, Charles V abdicated in favour of his son, KingPhilip II of Spain.[7][8]
This impressive complex suffered several fires over the centuries. In 1679, a fire destroyed part of the roof. A large fire that broke out on 3 February 1731 almost completely destroyed the building. Only the court chapel and the walls of theAula Magna were somewhat spared.[9][10] The ruins only disappeared when the district was redeveloped after 1775. At that time the urban axes of the present-dayBrussels Park were laid out. ThePlace Royale/Koningsplein was built on top of the ruined palace. Excavations of the site by different archaeological organisations have unearthed various remains of different parts of the palace as well as the surrounding town. The monumental vaults remaining under the square and its surrounding buildings can be visited.
Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, at that timeGovernor of the Austrian Netherlands, had a new palace, thePalace of Charles of Lorraine, built on the nearby site of the former Palace ofOrange-Nassau.[11] The Palace of Charles of Lorraine is now part of theRoyal Library of Belgium (KBR)[11] and the old palace's garden was redesigned as a public park. On the northern side, a new building for theCouncil of Brabant was built by the French architectGilles-Barnabé Guimard, which now houses theBelgian Federal Parliament and is known as thePalace of the Nation. On the other side of the park (the building plot of the present-day Royal Palace), the park's middle axis continued as a street between two newly built mansions. One served as the abbot's residence of the nearby Coudenberg Abbey, while the other was inhabited by important government members.
After theCongress of Vienna in 1814–15, Brussels became (together withThe Hague) the joint capital of the new establishedUnited Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was under the rule of KingWilliam I of the Netherlands that the street was covered and the two mansions were joined with a gallery. The newly created "Royal Palace" received a newneoclassical façade designed by the architectTilman-François Suys with aperistyle in the middle, and a balcony with awrought ironparapet surrounding the entire first floor.
The street running alongside the new Royal Palace was widened and thus thePlace des Palais/Paleizenplein ("Palaces' Square") was created. The new square's name uses the plural form because another palace was built on the left side of the Royal Palace. This new building (1823) was designed as the residence of the Crown Prince called thePrince of Orange (the future KingWilliam II of the Netherlands). Nowadays, it houses five Belgian academies including theRoyal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) and is consequently called theAcademy Palace. The rooms andsalons of the old mansions were incorporated in the new Royal Palace and were only partly refurnished. Some of them survived the 19th and 20th centuries' renovations and are still partly intact. A major addition to the interior decoration from the time of William I is the so-called "Empire Room", which was designed as a ballroom. It has a very refined cream and gold decoration designed and executed by the famous French sculptorFrançois Rude.
After theBelgian Revolution in 1830–31, the Royal Palace was offered to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha when he ascended the throne as KingLeopold I, the firstKing of the Belgians. Just like his predecessor, William II, he used the palace mainly for official receptions and other representational purposes and lived in theRoyal Palace of Laeken. During his reign (until 1865), little was changed to the palace. It was his son and successor, KingLeopold II, who judging the building to be too modest for a king of his stature, kept on enlarging and embellishing the palace until his death in 1909.
During Leopold II's reign, the palace nearly doubled in surface area. The houses located between the different buildings were destroyed[12] and gave way to two symmetrical curved galleries, which considerably widened the length of the building. A large part of the shallow grounds located in front of the palace were also filled in, in order to increase the space in front of its façade. After the designs of the king's architectAlphonse Balat, imposing rooms like the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room and the Grand Gallery were added. Balat also planned a new façade but died before the plans could be executed.
The palace's current façade was only executed after 1904 according to new plans by the architectHenri Maquet.[13] Suys' façade was demolished for this undertaking and the new façade was added to the gutted salons. The salons and the Empire Room in the east wing were restored, as were the Hall of Mirrors and new salons in the west wing. The sculpture of the façade'spediment shows anallegorical figure ofBelgium flanked by groups representingIndustry andAgriculture, by the sculptorThomas Vinçotte. The new design includes a formal front garden with gilded railings, gates andbalustrades, separating the building from the Place des Palais.[3]
The work left unfinished at the death of Leopold II in 1909 and Maquet in 1911 was taken up under KingAlbert I by Maquet's pupil,Octave Flanneau [fr], who rebuilt the Hôtel de la Liste Civile.[3][13] Interrupted by theFirst World War, it resumed in 1920. In 1930, the interior of the east wing was rebuilt. In 1934–1936, the study plan for the ground floor was drawn up byHenri van de Velde. The west wing was inhabited byPrince Charles, Count of Flanders, who converted the greenhouse into the Flemish Hall in 1938.[3]
Since then, apart from maintenance and restoration work, there has not been any more major transformations. The royal apartments were still occupied until 1935, but after QueenAstrid's death, KingLeopold III chose to live in the Palace of Laeken, like all the kings who have succeeded him.[13] The palace's interior was completely renovated in 1955–1958. In 1987, the Ministry of Public Works undertook the restoration, among others, of the Empire Room, the Throne Room and the Small and Large White Drawing Rooms.[3] Since 1965, the palace has been open to the public regularly from 21 July (Belgian National Day) until the beginning of September. Visiting hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.[14]
Around 2010, some of the palace's halls were converted into meeting rooms, with adapted sound systems and facilities for simultaneous interpretation. In March 2023, new renovation work began on the palace's façade, including the installation ofdouble glazing. The balustrades, stone stairs, garden walls, gates and fences are also being repaired. The project cost approximately €6 million.[15]
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The Royal Palace, imposing and majestic, is characterised by manyrevival styles, of which Leopold II was a supporter. The building is made up of three parts: a central wing, marked by a projection to the north and south; an east wing; and a west wing, each surrounding a large rectangular courtyard accessible by road from the north and south. The complex is surrounded by formal gardens,French style at the front,English style at the rear, and entirely enclosed by balustraded walls.[1]
The main façade, which is completely symmetrical, is crowned in the middle with a large pediment. Only the colonnade and balcony of the old palace have been preserved. The street was shifted to make room for the front garden, consisting of three dug-inparterres. Extending the palace symmetrically towards the east and west along the street side are curved galleries ending in two pavilions on the corners, attached to the Hôtel de la Liste Civile to the east, and to theHôtel Belle-Vue to the west.[1]
The Royal Palace is especially striking for the magnificence of its interiors and some important works of art are exhibited there.
Located on the site of the formerRue Héraldique, the Grand Staircase was designed byAlphonse Balat in 1868 and 1872. In front of the central flight, in a falseloggia, dominates a statue ofPeace in the guise ofMinerva made by the sculptorCharles-Auguste Fraikin in 1877. The steps are made of whitemarble and thebanisters of green marble enhanced withbronze decoration.
Access to this staircase is via avestibule housing thebusts of someKings and Queens of the Belgians. Two full-length portraits of the current sovereigns frame the door. One also finds in these spaces two bronzecandelabra taking up the motifs of theDying Slave and theRebellious Slave byMichelangelo,[16] as well as two Egyptian statues of thegoddessSekhmet probably brought back by the young Prince Leopold during his trips to theOrient, .
The Large Anteroom was used underWilliam I of the Netherlands as the Throne Room. Its decoration is therefore loaded with many political symbols relating to theUnited Kingdom of the Netherlands. Produced by the sculptorsFrançois Rude andJean-Louis van Geel [fr] around 1826, thefrieze running all around the room thus represents the four main economic activities of the country (Trade,Navigation,Industry andAgriculture) and the four virtues of good governance (Abundance,Prudence,Armed force andPeace).[17] The frieze was reworked underLeopold II to include hiscipher and thecoat of arms of Belgium.
Above the door leading to the Grand Staircase, abas-relief depicts two female figures holding hands above a crowned lion and holding a sword and a bundle of arrows. It is a representation of the union of the Northern Provinces (holding arudder) and the Southern Provinces (holding acornucopia) under the aegis of theHouse of Orange-Nassau (represented by the lion). It is therefore the last true Dutch symbol present in the palace, as the lion is still the one depicted on thecoat of arms of the Netherlands. There are also in this room two paintings by the English portraitistGeorge Dawe representing the young PrinceLeopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and PrincessCharlotte of Wales at the time of their wedding.[17]
The 'Il Pensieroso' Room or Square Room takes its former name from themantelpiece clock with a bronze reproduction of Michelangelo'sIl Pensieroso ("The Thinker"), which adorns the fireplace. This space is also used as a chapel in the event of the death of a member of theBelgian royal family.[18]
Requested by Leopold II fromHenri Maquet as a tribute to hisCongo colony, the Hall of Mirrors contains many elements reminiscent of its primary vocation: exotic plant decorations, lion figures,coppersconces (and notgilding, the Congo being very rich in copper mines) and especially terrestrial globes depicting Africa in thepediments above the chimneys. The architect and the king having died a few months apart,Albert I decided not to pursue his uncle's plans and to have mirrors installed between the columns instead of theallegorical paintings initially planned.[19]
At that time, the barrel ceiling remained unfinished and only covered with a layer ofstucco. It was not until 2004 that, at the request of QueenPaola,[20] the artistJan Fabre installed there a work calledHeaven of Delight made up of more than a million beetleelytra in order to reflect the light with a metallic green tint.[21] Despite the artist's conviction forsexual offences, the palace decided to keep his creation.[22] The room is mainly used today for the reception ofletters of credence from ambassadors posted in Brussels.
The Grand Gallery, 41 m (135 ft) long, connects the Square Room to the Throne Room while skirting the Brabant Courtyard. It was originally intended to include a gallery of portraits of the historic rulers of Belgium, but this idea was never realised. Its current decoration, in a fairly sober neo-Louis XVI style with white stucco andCorinthian pilasters raised in gold, is embellished with allegorical paintings byCharles-Léon Cardon, reproducing or even copying at the request of Leopold II works by the French paintersCharles Le Brun andLouis-Jacques Durameau:Dawn,Day andTwilight are completed byAurora located on one of the central walls.[23]
This gallery, ideal for its length and the possibility of housing an orchestra on a raised balcony, often hosts receptions: for example the dinner given in honour ofPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1958, the ball given the day before the wedding of KingBaudouin withFabiola de Mora y Aragón in 1960 or the reception that followed the wedding of PrincePhilippe withMathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in 1999.[23]
Built by Balat in the west wing of the palace, the Marble Room owes its name to its panelling and its green, pink and black marble fireplaces. On the walls, two portraits byLouis Gallait representGodfrey of Bouillon andCharles V. The space served mainly as a dining room, as at the time of the wedding of PrincessLouise withPrince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and had for this purpose apantry and afreight elevator embedded behind doors.
Despite its name, the Throne Room does not house any throne because the King of the Belgians simply does not have one (just like a crown). This room is divided into three spaces separated by arched arcades supported by Corinthian pillars. The neo-Louis XVI style decor corresponds to the will of Leopold II, whosemonogram is inscribed in theparquet flooring inoak,maple,mahogany andebony. It was QueenElisabeth who had the redvelvet andsilk hangings installed.
The exterior spaces are each decorated with a large allegorical bas-relief of theMeuse andScheldt rivers, works of the sculptorThomas Vinçotte. Theperimeter of the central space is decorated with female figures attributed toAuguste Rodin, representing theBelgian Provinces and their main activities. Only theProvince of Brabant (unitary at the time the frieze was created) is not represented because the palace was already built on Brabant territory.[24]
This room has seen many historical events take place, such as the abdication ofLeopold III in 1951, that ofAlbert II in 2013 or the civil marriage of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola in 1960. It is also there that the reception of the constituted bodies takes place during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the presentation of theKing Baudouin International Development Prize and that of the triennial prize for Flemish literature.[24]
Originally an anteroom, what is now the Pillar Room later became a reception area for the kingdom'sgreat noble families. Known then as the Blue Room (the colour referring to the expressionblue blood), the room was full of paintings and included a table set with the famousbirds ofBuffon service ordered to the painterFrédéric Théodore Faber. Even if this noble privilege disappeared during the reign of Baudouin, the expressionPrinces and Dukes of the Blue Room survived in thedocuments regulating precedence.
On the occasion of theAsia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) in 2010, Queen Paola asked the decorator Axel Vervoordt to renovate the room.[25] It was completely modified, going so far as to repaint the walls in theochre colour they had in the Dutch era (hence the change of name for this room). It now houses a portrait of Leopold I painted in 1846 byFranz Xaver Winterhalter,Empire style armchairs that belonged toNapoleon and his wifeJoséphine at thePalace of Laeken, as well as a harp and a music stand probably belonging to QueenLouise.[25]
The Louis XVI Room, like the Blue Room or the Pillar Room and the Marshals' Room, dates back to the time of William I. It was used at the time as an anteroom and was later converted into a living room. Alongside the portraits of family members of Leopold I are some canvases from his personal collection. The depiction of his deceased first wife,Allegory of the Death of Princess Charlotte, is a work by portrait painter and historianArthur William Devis. Works by Michaël Borremans were also added to the room during its refurbishment in 2010.[26]
Vestige of the former Hotel Belgiojoso renovated under William I to make it a ballroom, the Empire Room's decoration still bears traces of theAustrian era, such as the dancingputti above the doors. It was in this room thatNapoleon received with his wifeJoséphine the authorities of theCity of Brussels in 1803.
On the floor, the room sometimes houses a hugeKerman carpet offered by ShahMozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar ofPersia to Leopold II in 1900, and which recalls this gift in a Persian inscription. On the two central chimneys, one can also admire busts of Leopold I and his son,Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders.[27]
This room housed, among other things, the marriage of Prince Albert of Liège to Paola Ruffo di Calabria in 1959 and the signing of thesixth state reform in 2014. It also contains a work byPatrick Corillon [fr] entitledFlowers of the Royal Palace.
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The Coburg Room takes its name from the set of portraits representing a large number of relatives of Leopold I by different artists. One can find there as well: the king himself, when he was still only prince ofSaxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (the name ofSaxe-Coburg-Gotha would only come after the acquisition of the eponymous duchy by his brotherErnest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha); his fatherFrancis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; his motherCountess Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf; his sisterPrincess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and brother-in-lawPrince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (parents ofQueen Victoria); his great-unclePrince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (generalfeldmarschall of theAustrian army); his wife Queen Louise; as well as a bust of the future Leopold II by the sculptorGuillaume Geefs.[28]
Initially a billiard room, the Goya Room has since 1905 housed threetapestries woven at theRoyal Tapestry Factory of Santa Bárbara from designs byFrancisco de Goya:The Dance,The Little Blind Man andThe Water Carrier. These tapestries were offered by QueenIsabella II of Spain to Leopold I.
Like the Empire Room, the Small and Large White Drawing Rooms are among the oldest parts of the palace. The original 18th-century decorations have been preserved. The Empire style furniture, a wedding present given by KingLouis Philippe I of the French to his daughter Louise of Orléans and Leopold I, still bears its originalBeauvais tapestry decoration.[29]
The Small White Drawing Room is decorated with portraits of Louise and her parents, Louis-Philippe and PrincessMaria Amalia of Naples and Sicily.[29]
Built by Balat between 1868 and 1872, the Venice Staircase owes its name to the large oils on canvas representing different views ofVenice. Painted byJean-Baptiste Van Moer [fr] in 1867 (while the painter was using hisPrix de Rome to visit Italy),[30] they representSaint Mark's Square, theGrand Canal and the inner courtyard of theDoge's Palace. Other paintings, representing the Piazzetta and the Porta della Carta were later commissioned by Leopold II from the artist and installed in a small annex corridor.
Unlike most European royal residences, the Palace of Brussels is no longer the real residence of the Kings of the Belgians, who prefer to live in thePalace of Laeken. It was underLeopold III that the palace really only became a place of work, housing the king's office as well as the services of his household. It was also at the palace that theCouncils of Ministers took place, then often chaired by the king. Leopold III being reluctant to play the game of the parliamentary regime of the time, he only rarely convened these meetings, which then took place elsewhere.
Although it is no longer the private residence of the sovereigns, the palace has continued to house members of the royal family and to see important events take place for them. Only one king was born there (Leopold II, on 9 April 1835), none died there, but many marriages took place there: among many others, that of the future Leopold II withMarie-Henriette of Habsburg-Lorraine, that of PrincessCharlotte withArchduke Maximilian, that of PrinceAlbert of Liège withPaola Ruffo di Calabria, that of KingBaudouin withFabiola de Mora y Aragón and that of PrincePhilippe withMathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz.
The palace plays a big role in the receptions of international personalities. Currently, the many ambassadors accredited to Belgium are received by the king in the Hall of Mirrors. The palace can also serve more specific functions: for instance, during theFirst World War and on the initiative of QueenElisabeth, it became a military hospital of theRed Cross. As often mentioned, it has a façade 50% longer than that ofBuckingham Palace inLondon, but its floor area of 33,027 m2 (355,500 sq ft) is less than half of Buckingham Palace's floor area at 77,000 m2 (830,000 sq ft).[31]
In the Royal Palace, an important part of the Royal Collection is found. This consists of mainly state portraits and important furniture ofNapoleon,Leopold I,Louis Philippe I andLeopold II.Silverware,porcelain and finecrystal is kept in the cellars used during state banquets and formal occasions at court. QueenPaola addedmodern art in some of the state rooms.
During state visits, the royal apartments and suites are at the disposal of visiting heads of state. Ambassadors too are received there with state ceremony. New Year's receptions are held forNATO,EUambassadors and politicians. Royal wedding banquets take place in the palace, and after their death, the body of the deceased kinglies in state there. If the king is currently in the country, the flag is hoisted on the central building. If he is present inside the palace, then theguard of honour stands at the front of the palace.
The adjacent park,Brussels Park, is separated from the Royal Palace by the Place des Palais. This rectangular park, measuring more than 13 ha (32 acres),[32] contains around sixty sculptures, primarily inspired byGreco-Roman mythology; two water basins with fountains; monumental neoclassical railings and gates; as well as twobandstands where numerous shows take place in the summer.[33] The park's middle axis marks both the middle peristyle of the Royal Palace and of theBelgian Federal Parliament building (Palace of the Nation) on the other side of the park. The two facing buildings are said to symbolise Belgium's system of government: aconstitutional monarchy.[34]
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