Located on the Place des Palais, the Royal Palace of Brussels is the king’s administrative center. The official residence of the king and the royal family is situated in Laeken, which is very famous for the Royal Greenhouse that is open to the public, once a year. This palace is the center of Brussels where the King carries out his duties as Head of State, welcoming representatives of the political institutions, foreign and other guests.
The middle axis of the park marks both the middle peristyle of the Palace and the middle of the facing
building on the other side of the park, which is the Palace of the Nation. The
two facing buildings are said to symbolize Belgium’s system of government that
is a constitutional monarchy.
The Architecture of Royal Palace of Brussels
The construction of the
Palace began at the beginning of the nineteenth century commissioned by William
I of the Netherlands. During the reign of King Leopold II, the palace was
remodeled and the façade was changed completely. These were the last restorations
done to the Palace.
History of the Royal Palace of Brussels
The Palace was built on
the foundations of the court of the Dukes of Brabant and Emperor Charles V.
This building was termed the Coudenberg Palace and was destroyed by a fire in
1731. The restoration of the new palace started in 1820 under king Willem I,
and modifications in Louis XIV style were made in 1904 under Leopold II. There
are two pavilions adjacent to the side wings. On the left of the Civil List and
on the right is the Hotel Bellevue which is currently the Bellevue museum
documenting Belgian history.
Visit the Royal Palace
Every year in summer, The royal palace opens up to the public (for free). This is the occurrence to walk
through the palace and marvel at the grandeur of this fine sample of
neoclassical architecture. Try to plan your visit to Brussels according to its
opening times.
