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Brussels · History

From the ashes of 1695 to a king’s oath

Brussels was a cloth market, the court of the Dukes of Burgundy and of Charles V, a city flattened by French artillery and, in 1830, the birthplace of a new country. This route climbs from the Grand-Place to the royal quarter following that thread, with checked dates and no embellishment.

  • 6 stops
  • 2.8 km
  • 2 h
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Gothic façade and tower of Brussels Town Hall on the Grand-Place

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 The Grand-Place and the bombardment of 1695Europe’s most admired square is, to a large extent, a race-against-time rebuild after three days of French bombardment.
  2. 2 La Monnaie, the theatre that sparked a revolutionOn the night of 25 August 1830, an opera duet sent the audience into the street, and the protest ended up becoming a country.
  3. 3 Cathedral of St Michael and St GudulaEight centuries in the making, royal weddings and a stained-glass story the Church itself had to address in 2026.
  4. 4 The Congress ColumnForty-seven metres of stone to celebrate a constitution and, at its foot, a flame that never goes out.
  5. 5 The Royal Palace and the park of 1830The King of the Belgians works here but doesn’t live here, and the park in front of you was a battlefield in 1830.
  6. 6 Place Royale: the lost palace and the first kingBeneath your feet lie the remains of Charles V’s palace, and on this square the first King of the Belgians took his oath in 1831.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

From the ashes of 1695 to a king’s oath

A revolution with a soundtrack

Outside La Monnaie you’ll learn how an opera duet ended in a riot and, weeks later, in independence.

From lower to upper Brussels

From the merchants’ quarter up to the Coudenberg, the hill of dukes, governors and kings.

Traces you can see

Façades rebuilt after 1695, the flame of the Unknown Soldier, the spot where the first king swore his oath: every date has a place.

Keep exploring

More routes in Brussels

Back to Brussels
Mysteries & legendsBrussels in the shadows: gallows, miracles and a gunshot MixedBrussels highlights: from the Bourse to the Sablon

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Brussels?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Brussels in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Brussels in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Brussels in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary