Page 53 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

THE L OWER T OWN  51

style. The glass and intricate alongside the Place de la
ironwork was renovated in Bourse. Medieval history must
1985, and the hall now serves have been far from the minds
as a local cultural centre with of the city authorities but, in
a lively café. the course of working on
the foundations, important
relics were found, including
7 La Bourse 13th-century bones, pottery
and the 1294 grave of Duke
Palais de la Bourse, 1000 BRU. Map 1
C2. Tel (02) 509 1373. @ 29, 38, 46, John I of Brabant. Visitors can
47, 48, 63, 66, 71, 86, 88. v 3, 4, 32. see these and other pieces in a
q De Brouckère. Closed to the public. small museum built on the site.
Brussels’ Stock Exchange,
La Bourse, is one of the city’s 9 Eglise St-Nicolas
most impressive buildings, Rue au Beurre 1, 1000 BRU. Map 1 C2.
dominating the square of Tel (02) 513 8022. @ 29, 38, 46, The beautiful 19th-century domed glass
the same name. Designed in 48, 63, 66, 71, 86, 95. v 3, 4, 32. roof of Galeries St-Hubert
Palladian style by architect q De Brouckère. Open 8am–6pm
Léon Suys, it was constructed Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm Sat, 9am–7:30pm 0 Galeries St-Hubert
from 1867 to 1873. Among Sun & public hols. Rue des Bouchers, 1000 BRU. Map 2
the building’s most notable D2. v 3, 4, 32. q Gare Centrale. 7
features are the façade’s ornate At the end of the 12th century,
carvings. The great French a market church was built on Sixteen years after ascending
sculptor, Auguste Rodin, is this site but, like much of the the throne as the first king of
thought to have crafted the Lower Town, it was damaged in Belgium, Léopold I inaug-
groups representing Africa and the 1695 French Bombard ment. urated the opening of these
Asia, as well as four caryatids A cannon ball lodged itself grand arcades in 1847.
inside. Beneath the into an interior pillar and St-Hubert has the distinction
colonnade, two the bell tower finally of being the first shopping
beautifully detailed collapsed in 1714. arcade in Europe, and one of
winged figures Many restoration the most elegant. Designed in
representing projects were planned Neo-Renaissance style by Jean-
Good and Evil were but none came to Pierre Cluysenaer, the vaulted
carved by sculptor fruition until 1956, glass roof covers its three
Jacques de Haen. when the west side sections, Galerie du Roi, Galerie
Once the scene of the building was de la Reine and Galerie des
of frantic trading, Detail of a Rodin statue, given a new, Gothic- Princes, which house a range of
La Bourse now La Bourse style façade. Named luxury shops and cafés. The
houses the offices after St Nicolas, the ornate interior and expensive
of Euronext, owners of the patron saint of merchants, goods on sale soon turned the
Belgian Stock Exchange, and the church contains choir galleries into a fashionable
all trading is computerized. stalls dating from 1381 which meeting place for 19th-century
The building is no longer open display detailed medal lions society, includ ing resident
to the public. telling St Nicolas’ story. Another literati – Victor Hugo and
interesting feature is the chapel, Alexandre Dumas attended
constructed at an angle, lectures here. The arcades
8 Bruxella 1238 reputedly to avoid the flow remain a popular venue, with
of an old stream. Inside the shops, a cinema, theatre, cafés
Rue de la Bourse, 1000 BRU. Map 1 C3.
Tel (02) 279 4350. @ 29, 38, 46, 47, 48, church, works of art by and restaurants.
63, 66, 71, 86, 88. v 3, 4, 32. Bernard van Orley and
q De Brouckère. Open 1st Wed of Peter Paul Rubens are
month: 10:15am (English), 11:15am well worth seeing.
(French), 2pm (Dutch); by appt only at
other times. & 8 obligatory, starts
from Maison du Roi, Grand Place.
Once home to a church and
13th-century Franciscan con-
vent, in the early 19th century
this site became a Butter Market
until the building of the Bourse
started in 1867. In 1988,
municipal road works began Gothic-style façade of Eglise St-Nicolas

050-051_EW_Brussels.indd 51 10/01/17 11:04 am