Editing Grand-Place (section)

==Buildings around the square==

===Town Hall===
{{Main|Brussels Town Hall}}
[[File:Brussels, townhall oeg2043-00090 foto3 2015-06-07 08.38.jpg|left|thumb|<!-- Brighter image, fewer people -->[[Brussels Town Hall|Brussels' Town Hall]] stands {{convert|96|m|ft}} tall and is capped by a {{convert|2.7|m|ft}} statue of [[Michael (archangel)|Saint Michael]] slaying a demon.]]

The [[Brussels Town Hall|Town Hall]] ({{langx|fr|Hôtel de Ville|link=no}}, {{langx|nl|Stadhuis|link=no}}) is the central edifice on the Grand-Place. It was erected in stages, between 1401 and 1455, on the south side of the square, transforming it into the seat of municipal power. It is also the square's only remaining [[Medieval architecture|medieval building]].{{sfn|State|2004|p=147}} The Town Hall not only housed the city's magistrate, but also, until 1795, the [[States of Brabant]]; the representation of the three estates ([[nobility]], [[clergy]] and [[commoner]]s) to the court of the [[Duke of Brabant]]. In 1830, the provisional government operated from there during the [[Belgian Revolution]].

The oldest part of the present building is its east wing (to the left when facing the front). This wing, together with a shorter tower, was built between 1401 and 1421. The architect and designer is probably [[Jacob van Thienen]]  with whom [[Jean Bornoy]] collaborated.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=5–9}} The young Duke [[Charles the Bold]] laid the first stone of the west wing in 1444.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=5–9}} The architect of this part of the building is unknown. Historians think that it could be William (Willem) de Voghel who was the architect of the [[City of Brussels]] in 1452, and who was also, at that time, the designer of the {{lang|la|Aula Magna}}; the great hall at the [[Coudenberg|Palace of Coudenberg]].{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=126}}

The façade is decorated with numerous statues representing the local nobility (such as the [[Dukes of Brabant family tree|Dukes and Duchesses of Brabant]] and [[knight]]s of the [[Seven Noble Houses of Brussels|Noble Houses of Brussels]]), [[saint]]s, and [[allegory|allegorical]] figures. The present sculptures are mainly 19th- and 20th-century reproductions or creations; the original 15th-century ones are kept in the [[Brussels City Museum]] in the ''King's House'' or ''Bread House'' building across the Grand-Place.{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=128–133}}

The {{convert|96|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} tower in [[Brabantine Gothic]] style is the work of [[Jan van Ruysbroek (architect)|Jan van Ruysbroek]], the court architect of [[Philip III, Duke of Burgundy|Philip the Good]].{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=5–9}}{{sfn|De Vries|2003|p=32}} Above the roof of the Town Hall, the square tower body narrows to a lavishly [[pinnacle]]d octagonal openwork. At its summit stands a {{convert|2.7|m|ft|0|adj=mid|-tall}}{{efn|name=fn3}} gilt metal statue of [[Michael (archangel)|Saint Michael]], the [[patron saint]] of the City of Brussels, slaying a dragon or demon.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=5–9}}{{sfn|Heymans|2011|p=10}} This statue is a work by Michel de Martin Van Rode, and was placed on the tower in 1454 or 1455.{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=126}}{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=5–9}}{{sfn|Heymans|2011|p=10}} It was removed in the 1990s and replaced by a copy. The original is also in the Brussels City Museum.

The Town Hall is asymmetrical, since the tower is not exactly in the middle of the building and the left part and the right part are not identical (although they seem so at first sight). According to a legend, the architect of the building, upon discovering this "error", leapt to his death from the tower.{{sfn|De Vries|2003|p=30}} More likely, the asymmetry of the Town Hall was an accepted consequence of the scattered construction history and space constraints.

After various waves of restoration, the interior of the Town Hall has become dominated by [[Gothic Revival architecture|neo-Gothic]]: the Maximilian Room, the [[States of Brabant]] Room and their [[antechamber]] with [[Brussels tapestry|tapestries]] depicting the life of [[Clovis I|Clovis]],{{sfn|Crick-Kuntziger|1944}} the splendid Municipal Council Room, the likewise richly furnished ballroom and the Wedding Room (formerly the courtroom).{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=134}}

===King's House===
{{Main|Brussels City Museum}}
[[File:(Belgium) Brussels City Museum Aug 2009.jpg|thumb|<!-- Brighter image, view more from the front -->The [[Brussels City Museum]] is located in the ''Maison du Roi'' (King's House) or ''Broodhuis'' (Bread House).]]

As early as the 12th century, the [[Brussels City Museum|King's House]] ({{langx|fr|Maison du Roi|link=no}}) was a wooden building where bread was sold, hence the name it kept in Dutch; {{lang|nl|Broodhuis}} (''Bread House'' or ''Bread Hall''). The original building was replaced in the 15th century by a stone building which housed the administrative services of the [[Dukes of Brabant family tree|Duke of Brabant]], which is why it was first called the ''Duke's House'' ({{langx|dum|'s Hertogenhuys|link=no}}), and when the same duke became [[Spanish Netherlands|King of Spain]], it was renamed the ''King's House'' ({{langx|dum|'s Conincxhuys|link=no}}). In the 16th century, [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] ordered his court architect {{ill|Antoon II Keldermans|nl|Antoon II Keldermans}} to rebuild it in a [[Gothic architecture|late Gothic]] style very similar to the contemporary design, although without towers or galleries.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=17}}

The King's House was rebuilt after suffering extensive damage from the bombardment of 1695. A second restoration followed in 1767 when it received a [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] [[Portal (architecture)|portal]] and a large roof pierced with three ''[[oeil-de-boeuf]]'' windows.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=44–45}} It was reconstructed once again in its current [[Gothic Revival architecture|neo-Gothic]] form by the architect {{ill|Victor Jamaer|fr|Victor Jamaer}} between 1874 and 1896, in the style of his mentor [[Eugène Viollet-le-Duc]]. On that occasion, Jamaer built two galleries and a central tower. He also adorned the façade with statues and other decorations. At the back, he added a new, much more sober wing in [[Flanders|Flemish]] [[Renaissance Revival architecture|neo-Renaissance]] style. The new King's House was officially inaugurated in 1896. The current building, whose interior was renovated in 1985, has housed the [[Brussels City Museum]] since 1887,{{sfn|State|2004|p=147}} in which, among other things, the Town Hall's original sculptures are shown.{{sfn|Hennaut|2000|p=44–45}}

===Houses of the Grand-Place===
{{Main|List of houses of the Grand-Place}}

The Grand-Place is lined on each side with a number of [[guildhall]]s and a few private houses. At first modest structures, in their current form, they are largely the result of the reconstruction after the bombardment of 1695. The strongly structured façades with their rich sculptural decoration including [[pilaster]]s and [[Baluster|balustrades]] and their lavishly designed [[gable]]s are based on [[Italian Baroque architecture|Italian Baroque]] with some Flemish influences.{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=123–124}}{{sfn|State|2004|p=132–136}} The architects involved in the new development were [[Jan Cosijn]], {{ill|Pieter Herbosch|nl|Pieter Herbosch}}, {{ill|Antoine Pastorana|fr|Antoine Pastorana}}, {{ill|Cornelis van Nerven|fr|Corneille van Nerven}}, {{ill|Guilliam or Willem de Bruyn|fr|Guillaume de Bruyn}}{{sfn|Vlieghe|1998|p=277–278}}<ref>[Annales de la Société royale d'archéologie de Bruxelles, 1935, p. 163</ref> and {{ill|Adolphe Samyn|fr|Adolphe Samyn}}.{{sfn|Mardaga|1993|p=121}}{{sfn|Baisier|2000|p=64}}{{sfn|Heymans|2011|p=209–213}}

In addition to the name of the respective guild, each house has its own name. The house numbering starts at the northern corner of the square to the left of the {{lang|fr|Rue au Beurre|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Boterstraat|italic=no}} in a [[clockwise|counter-clockwise]] direction. The most beautiful houses are probably no. 1 to 7 on the north-western side. On the south-western side, between the {{lang|fr|Rue de la Tête d'or|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Guldenhoofdstraat|italic=no}} and {{lang|fr|Rue Charles Buls|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Karel Bulsstraat|italic=no}}, are the Town Hall, and the houses no. 8 to 12 to the left of it on the south-eastern side. Still on the south-eastern side, between the {{lang|fr|Rue des Chapeliers|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Hoedenmakersstraat|italic=no}} and the {{lang|fr|Rue de la Colline|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Bergstraat|italic=no}}, are the houses no. 13 to 19. On the north-eastern side, the King's House, which is located between the {{lang|fr|Rue des Harengs|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Haringstraat|italic=no}} and the {{lang|fr|Rue Chair et Pain|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Vlees-en-Broodstraat|italic=no}}, is to the right of the houses no. 20 to 28 and to the left of the houses no. 34 to 39.{{sfn|Heymans|2011|p=207–213}}

{| class="wikitable"  style="font-size:94%;"
! #
! style="text-align:left" | French name
! style="text-align:left" | Dutch name
! style="text-align:left" | English translation
! style="text-align:left" | Guild / Affectation
! Site plan
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Roy d'Espagne|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Coninck van Spaigniën|italic=no}}'''
| "The King of Spain"
| ''House of the Corporation of Bakers''
! rowspan=19 style="padding:10px; background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #e4e4e4, #f9f9f9);" | [[File:GrandPlaceMap.jpg|350px]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 2–3
| '''{{lang|fr|La Brouette|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Cruywagen|italic=no}}'''
| "The Wheelbarrow"
| ''House of the Corporation of Greasers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 4
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Sac|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Sack|italic=no}}'''
| "The Bag"
| ''House of the Corporation of Carpenters''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 5
| '''{{lang|fr|La Louve|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Wolf|italic=no}} / {{lang|nl|Den Wolvin|italic=no}}'''
| "The She-Wolf"
| ''House of the Oath of Archers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 6
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Cornet|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Horen|italic=no}}'''
| "The Cornet"
| ''House of the Corporation of Boatmen''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 7
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Renard|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Vos|italic=no}}'''
| "The Fox"
| ''House of the Corporation of Haberdashers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 8
| '''{{lang|fr|L'Étoile|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Sterre|italic=no}}'''
| "The Star"
| ''House of the Amman''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Cygne|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Zwane|italic=no}}'''
| "The Swan"
| ''House of the Corporation of Butchers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 10
| '''{{lang|fr|L'Arbre d'Or|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Gulden Boom|italic=no}}'''
| "The Golden Tree"
| ''House of the Corporation of Brewers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 11
| '''{{lang|fr|La Rose|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Roos|italic=no}}'''
| "The Rose"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 12
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Mont Thabor|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Bergh Thabor|italic=no}}'''
| "The Mount Thabor"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 12a
| '''{{lang|fr|Maison d'Alsemberg|italic=no}}''' /<br />'''{{lang|fr|Le Roi de Bavière|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Huis van Alsemberg|italic=no}}''' /<br />'''{{lang|nl|De Koning van Beieren|italic=no}}'''
| "House of Alsemberg" /<br /> "The King of Bavaria"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 13–19
| '''{{lang|fr|Maison des Ducs de Brabant|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Huis van de Hertogen van Brabant|italic=no}}'''
| "House of the Dukes of Brabant"
| Various (see below)
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
| '''{{lang|fr|La Renommée|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Faem|italic=no}}'''
| "The Fame"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
| '''{{lang|fr|L'Ermitage|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Cluyse|italic=no}}'''
| "The Hermitage"
| ''House of the Corporation of Carpet Makers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 15
| '''{{lang|fr|La Fortune|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Fortuin|italic=no}}'''
| "The Fortune"
| ''House of the Corporation of Tanners''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 16
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Moulin à Vent|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Windmolen|italic=no}}'''
| "The Windmill"
| ''House of the Corporation of Millers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 17
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Pot d'Étain|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Tinnepot|italic=no}}'''
| "The Tin Pot"
| ''House of the Corporation of Cartwrights''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 18
| '''{{lang|fr|La Colline|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Heuvel|italic=no}}'''
| "The Hill"
| ''House of the Corporation of Sculptors, Masons, Stone-Cutters and Slate-Cutters''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 19
| '''{{lang|fr|La Bourse|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Borse|italic=no}}'''
| "The Purse"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 20
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Cerf|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Hert|italic=no}}''' / '''{{lang|nl|Het Heert|italic=no}}'''
| "The Deer"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 21–22
| '''{{lang|fr|Joseph et Anne|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Joseph en Anna|italic=no}}'''
| "Joseph and Anne"
| Private houses
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 23
| '''{{lang|fr|L'Ange|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Engel|italic=no}}'''
| "The Angel"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 24–25
| '''{{lang|fr|La Chaloupe d'Or|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Gulden Boot|italic=no}}'''
| "The Golden Boat"
| ''House of the Corporation of Tailors''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 26–27
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Pigeon|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Duif|italic=no}}'''
| "The Dove"
| ''House of the Corporation of Painters''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 28
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Marchand d'Or|italic=no}}''' /<br /> '''{{lang|fr|Aux Armes de Brabant|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|De Gulden Koopman|italic=no}}''' /<br /> '''{{lang|nl|De Wapens van Brabant|italic=no}}'''
| "The Golden Merchant" /<br /> "The Weapons of Brabant"
| ''House of the Corporation of Greasers''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 34
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Heaume|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Helm|italic=no}}'''
| "The Helmet"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 35
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Paon|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Pauw|italic=no}}'''
| "The Peacock"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 36–37
| '''{{lang|fr|Le Petit Renard|italic=no}}''' / '''{{lang|fr|Le Samaritain|italic=no}}''' <br />and '''{{lang|fr|Le Chêne|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|'t Voske|italic=no}}''' / '''{{lang|nl|De Samaritaen|italic=no}}''' <br />and '''{{lang|nl|Den Eycke|italic=no}}'''
| "The Small Fox" / "The Samaritan" <br />and "The Oak"
| Private houses
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 38
| '''{{lang|fr|Sainte-Barbe|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Sint Barbara|italic=no}}'''
| "Saint Barbara"
| Private house
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 39
| '''{{lang|fr|L'Âne|italic=no}}'''
| '''{{lang|nl|Den Ezel|italic=no}}'''
| "The Donkey"
| Private house
|}
{{Clear}}

<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Edificios en la Grand-Place, Bruselas, Bélgica, 2021-12-15, DD 07.jpg|From right to left: Le Roy d'Espagne, La Brouette, Le Sac, La Louve, Le Cornet and Le Renard
File:Edificios en la Grand-Place, Bruselas, Bélgica, 2021-12-15, DD 12.jpg|From right to left: L'Étoile, Le Cygne, L'Arbre d'Or, La Rose and Le Mont Thabor
File:Bruxelles Grand-Place Maison des Ducs de Brabant 2.jpg|House of the Dukes of Brabant
File:Bruxelles Grand-Place No. 28-20 2.jpg|From right to left: Le Cerf, Joseph et Anne, L'Ange, La Chaloupe d'Or, Le Pigeon and Le Marchand d'Or
File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Grand-Place - Côté nord-est.jpg|From right to left: Le Heaume, Le Paon, Le Petit Renard, Le Chêne, Sainte-Barbe and L'Âne
</gallery>