Page 70 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

68  BEL GIUM AND L UXEMBOURG REGION B Y REGION

y Place Royale
Rue Royale. City Map 2 E4. @ 27, 29,
34, 38, 54, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 80, 95.
q Trone, Parc. v 92, 93.
The influence of Charles de
Lorraine is still keenly felt in the
Place Royale. As Governor of the
Austrian Netherlands from 1741
to 1780, he redeveloped the site
which was then occupied by the
ruins of the great, late-medieval
Coudenberg Palace that had
been destroyed by fire in 1731.
The ruins of the palace were
demolished and the entire site
was rebuilt as two squares along
Neo-Classical lines reminiscent Glittering chandeliers in the vast Throne Room of the Palais Royal
of Vienna, a city that Charles de
Lorraine greatly admired. 12th century, when it served i Palais Royal
In 1995, excavations in the pilgrims en route to the saint’s Place des Palais, 1000 BRU.
area uncovered ruins of the shrine at Santiago de Compostela City Map 2 E4. Tel (02) 5512020.
15th-century Aula Magna, the in Spain. When the Coudenberg @ 27, 29, 34, 38, 54, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71,
Great Hall of the former palace. Palace was built in the 12th 80, 95. q Trone, Gare Centrale, Parc.
The hall was part of an extension century, it became the ducal v 92, 93. Open mid-July–mid-Sep:
of the palace started under the chapel. The chapel suffered 9:30am–5pm Mon–Fri. Closed 21 July.
dukes of Brabant in the early over the years: it was ransacked & 7 ^
13th century and further during the con flict between
developed by the dukes of Catholics and Protestants in The official residence of the
Burgundy, in particular by Philip 1579, and was so badly damaged Belgian monarchy in central
the Good. It was in this room in the 1731 fire that it had to be Brussels, the Palais Royal is
that the Habsburg emperor demolished. The present church located close to the site of
Charles V abdicated in favour was built in Neo-Classical style the old Coudenberg Palace.
of his son, Philip II. The ruins can and was consecrated in 1787. Its con struction began in the
now be seen as part of the During the French Revolution, 1820s, linking two 18th-century
BELvue Museum. it served as a Temple of Reason side wings. Most of the exte rior
Although criss-crossed by and Law, returning to the was completed during the reign
tramlines and traffic, the Place Catholic Church in 1802. The of Léopold II (1835–1909) and
Royale maintains a feeling of interior is elegant, with large in the 20th century, the palace
dignity with its tall, elegant, paintings by Jan Portaels (1818– underwent interior improve-
buildings set symmetrically 95). The church still has royal ments and restoration of its
around a cobbled square. The connections, and the choir has older sections.
equestrian statue in the centre, a direct link to the palace. The huge Throne Room,
erected by King Leopold I in decorated in grand style with
1848, depicts the 11th-century large pilastered columns and
knight Godefroid de Bouillon, wall-mounted chandeliers, is
a leader of the First Crusade. one of Brussels’s original state
rooms. Beyond this, the Long
u Église St-Jacques- Gallery displays late 19th-century
ceiling paintings representing
sur-Coudenberg dawn, day and dusk. The Small
White Room, a gilt chamber
Place Royale, 1000 BRU. City Map 2
E4. Tel (02) 5117836. @ 27, 29, 34, 38, with late 18th-century Rococo
54, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 80, 95. q Trone, furnishings, features rows of
Parc. v 92, 93. Open noon–2pm 19th-century royal portraits,
Mon; noon–5:45pm Tue–Fri; 1–6pm while the Pilasters Room
Sat; 8:30am–6:45pm Sun. contains the original portrait of
King Leopold I made in 1846. The
Dedicated to the apostle Hall of Mirrors, similar in its
St James, the pretty St-Jacques- grand effect to the mirrored
sur-Coudenberg is the latest chamber at Versailles, features a
in a series of churches to have ceiling that has been decorated
occupied this site. There has The 19th-century cupola of Église in green beetle and wing
been a chapel here since the St-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg designs by sculptor Jan Fabre.
For hotels and restaurants see p266 and pp280–83

068-069_EW_Belgium.indd 68 18/10/16 3:01 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm