In front of you is the most orderly square in Brussels, but a palace lies hidden beneath its paving. For centuries, on top of this hill, the Coudenberg, stood the residence of the Dukes of Brabant, the Dukes of Burgundy and Charles V.

1The palace of Charles V

It was in that palace’s great hall, the Aula Magna, that Charles V abdicated sovereignty over the Low Countries in 1555 in favour of his son Philip II. For two centuries the Coudenberg was one of the most important princely palaces in Europe, until a fire destroyed it in 1731.

The ruins lay abandoned for decades. Between 1775 and 1782 this neoclassical, French-style square was built on top, with Barnabé Guimard among its designers. Excavations in the 1990s brought to light the cellars and the remains of the Aula Magna, which can now be visited underground.

On 21 July 1831, Leopold I swore to uphold the Constitution on a platform set up in front of this church. That is why 21 July is Belgium’s national day.

2Godfrey of Bouillon

The equestrian statue by Eugène Simonis was unveiled in 1848 and depicts Godfrey of Bouillon, one of the leaders of the First Crusade. The young kingdom was looking for medieval heroes to build its memory.

3What to look for

  • The church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg, in front of which the king took his oath.
  • Godfrey’s banner, raised to the sky.
  • The view down Rue de la Régence, leading towards the Palace of Justice.

Documented

The Coudenberg palace burned down in 1731, the square was built between 1775 and 1782, and Leopold I swore the constitutional oath here on 21 July 1831.

Sources and credits

Coudenberg Palace, official website of the archaeological site (coudenberg.brussels); BELvue Museum (belvue.be); French Wikipedia, “Place Royale (Bruxelles)” and “Palais du Coudenberg”.

Photos:

  • Place Royale with the church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg and the statue of Godfrey of Bouillon: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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