Hay Market Square

Posted on December 07, 2011 by Admin
Hay Market Square

Hay Market Square

The Grand-Place (Grote Markt in Dutch or Flemish) in Brussels is one of Europe’s grandest public squares. It is in the heart of the historical old town and on the must-see list (and the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1998) of every visitor to the Belgium capital.

  • The Grand-Place was originally a market square but only flowers are now sold here (in the mornings).

The guildhall buildings on the Grand-Place show a remarkable conformity in style. On August 13, 1695, the French army bombarded Brussels and destroyed most of the center. The shell of the town hall survived but most other buildings on the square was rebuilt from the foundations up and mostly in the then prevalent Baroque style.

Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles on Grand Place

The largest building on the Grand-Place is the gothic Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall or Stadthuis in Dutch). Its oldest parts date from the 13th century but most of it was completed during the 15th century. The slightly off-center 96-m (315-ft) tower was designed by Van Ruysbroek and topped by a gilded statue of St. Michael. The interior can only be seen on a guided tour.