Page 62 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

60  BRUSSELS AREA B Y AREA

Street-by-Street: Quartier Royal

The Quartier Royal has traditionally been home to Brussels’ Rue Royale runs for 2 km (1 mile)
nobility and rulers. Chosen because the air was purer on from the Quartier Royal to Jardin
Botanique. In contrast to the
the hill than it was in the Lower Town, the area once known 18th-century Neo-Classicism of its
as Coudenberg Hill was occupied by the 15th-century beginnings, along its route many
Coudenberg Palace, home to the Dukes of Brabant and fine examples of Victorian and Art
Renaissance rulers. In 1731, the palace was destroyed in Nouveau architecture stand out.
just six hours by a fire. Slowly rebuilt during the 18th and
19th centuries, four new palaces and much of the park
were designed in Neo-Classical style, chosen by Charles
de Lorraine (see p37). Today, the royal quarter presents
a peaceful elegance, with some of Europe’s finest
18th-century buildings framing the tree-lined
paths and fountains of Parc de Bruxelles.

3 Eglise St-Jacques-
sur-Coudenberg
One of Brussels’ prettiest
churches, St-Jacques’
18th-century façade was
modelled exactly on a
classical temple. The barrel-
vaulted nave and half-
domed apse are sprinkled
with floral plasterwork and
contain several fine Neo- L E
Classical paintings Y A
O
R

E
U
R

4 . Place Royale
In the centre of this
attractive, symmetrical
square is a statue of
Godefroi of Bouillon, a
Brabant soldier who
fought the first
Catholic Crusades
and died in Palestine
P L A C E R O Y A L E P L A C E D E S P A L A I S

Key
Suggested route

Place des Palais
divides Palais Royal
and the park. In
French, “Palais” refers
to any large stately
building, and does
not necessarily have
royal connotations.

060-061_EW_Brussels.indd 60 10/01/17 10:54 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 24th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm