| Palace of the Nation | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Front view of the Palace of the Nation seen from theRue de la Loi/Wetstraat | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Address | Place de la Nation /Natieplein 2 |
| Town or city | 1008City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region |
| Country | Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°50′49″N4°21′54″E / 50.84694°N 4.36500°E /50.84694; 4.36500 |
| Current tenants | Belgian Federal Parliament |
| Construction started | 1778 (1778) |
| Completed | 1783 (1783) |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | |
ThePalace of the Nation (Dutch:Paleis der Natie;[a]French:Palais de la Nation;[b]German:Palast der Nation)[c] is aneoclassical palace inBrussels, Belgium, housing theBelgian Federal Parliament. The Parliament consists of both theChamber of Representatives (lower house) and theSenate (upper house), which convene in two separatehemicycles.
The palace was built from 1778 to 1783 to aneoclassical design by the French architectGilles-Barnabé Guimard and includes sculptures byGilles-Lambert Godecharle. UnderAustrian rule, it housed the SovereignCouncil of Brabant before being used as a courthouse during theFrench period. During theDutch period, it was one of two homes of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the other being inThe Hague. The palace was partially rebuilt at that time by the architect Charles Vander Straeten. FollowingBelgian independence in 1830, theProvisional Government of Belgium andBelgian National Congress moved into the building and the first session of theChamber of Representatives andSenate was held there a year later.[1]
The building stands across the street fromBrussels Park's northern entrance, near thesite of the former palace of theDukes of Brabant, which was destroyed by fire in 1731, and has itself been badly damaged by fire, in 1820 and 1883.[2] In the 1930s, abunker was built underneath the park, connected by tunnels to the House of Parliament.[3] This area is served byBrussels-Central railway station, as well as by themetro stationsParc/Park (on lines1 and5) andArts-Loi/Kunst-Wet (on lines 1,2, 5 and6).
The initial building, which was then called the Palace of the Council of Brabant (French:Palais du Conseil du Brabant),[4] was built between 1778 and 1783, during the time of theAustrian Netherlands, to the plans of the French architectGilles-Barnabé Guimard.[1]
At the time, it consisted of three parts:
Thepediment of the central part is decorated with abas-relief by the sculptorGilles-Lambert Godecharle, which representsJustice punishing Vices and rewarding Virtues.[2]
The central body of the building was transformed in 1816–1818 by the architectCharles Vander Straeten [fr] to house the States General established byKing William I of the Netherlands.[1] Thehemicycle built for this occasion at the rear burned down in 1820 and was rebuilt in 1821–22 by Vander Straeten.[2]
In 1831, afterBelgian independence, the building, merged with the palaces of the Chancellery and theChamber of Accounts, took the name of Palace of the Nation (French:Palais de la Nation, Dutch:Paleis der Natie, German:Palast der Nation).[5] The semicircular hall built by Vander Straeten has since housed theChamber of Representatives.[1]
In 1883, the Chamber was ravaged by a second fire and it took the architectHenri Beyaert three years, until 1886, to rebuild it.[6]
In 1847–1849, a second hemicycle was built by the architectTilman-François Suys to house theSenate. It was enlarged in 1902–03 byGédéon Bordiau.[2]
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Media related toPalace of the Nation (Belgium) at Wikimedia Commons
