In front of you spreads the balcony of Brussels. From here the lower town, the merchants’ city, unfolds at your feet, and the Town Hall spire stands out against the rooftops.

1A king’s dream

Leopold II wanted to link the lower town with the royal quarter through a grand complex devoted to the arts. To achieve it, the old Saint-Roch district was demolished at the end of the nineteenth century. The project was so controversial that the mayor, Charles Buls, a champion of old Brussels, ended up resigning. But Parliament rejected the final plans and, for decades, there was only a temporary garden here, created for the 1910 Exhibition.

2A post-war ending

The present ensemble dates from the mid-twentieth century. The equestrian statue of Albert I, the king of the First World War, was unveiled in 1951, and the Royal Library that bears his name opened in 1969. Between them lies the garden by landscape architect René Pechère, with hedges and flowerbeds that trace patterns best seen from above.

It is one of the most photographed spots in Brussels, especially at sunset, when the lower town lights up.

The steps and the esplanade have become a meeting place for students, buskers and skateboarders.

3What to look for

  • The Town Hall spire, perfectly framed by the axis of the garden.
  • The statue of Albert I, at the top.
  • The patterns in the hedges, best appreciated from above.

Documented

The Saint-Roch district was demolished at the end of the nineteenth century; the statue of Albert I dates from 1951 and the Royal Library opened in 1969.

Sources and credits

KBR, Royal Library of Belgium, history of the building (kbr.be); visit.brussels, “Mont des Arts”; French Wikipedia, “Mont des Arts”.

Photos:

  • The Mont des Arts garden with the Town Hall tower in the distance: iMahesh, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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