Grand Place, Brussels
The Unesco justification for inscription reads: "The Grand-Place is an outstanding example of the eclectic and highly successful blending of architectural and artistic styles that characterizes the culture and society of this region. ...Through the nature and quality of its architecture and of its outstanding quality as a public open space, the Grand-Place illustrates in an exceptional way the evolution and achievements of a highly successful mercantile city of northern Europe at the height of its prosperity."
The square is 110 x 70 m, and is in use as a marketplace since the 15th century. It is now surrounded with buildings dating from the late 17th century. Most of them used to be guild-halls. Their facades are decorated with statues, symbols and the name of the house. The City Hall is the most remarkable of them, and is still used for marriages.
Visit April 1999, January 2006
At the Square, the Broodhuis shows various costumes from all over the world that the famous little man Manneken Pis received as presents. Him dressing like Sherlock Holmes is my personal favorite.
The city is so close (a 2 hour train ride from my home), but also so different. Brussels around the Grand Place looks medieval. But there are also shopping streets that resemble those in the average Dutch town. And a lot of Japanese, American and other tourists.
I did return in 2006 to take some beter photos. But that's not easy: the market square is smaller than I remembered. The international crowd of tourists still visits Brussels, now made up of Chinese and Russians.
More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery
Reviews
Lady Shirley (Ireland):
I love the Grand Place in Brussels! It is so beautiful with its cobblestone streets, ancient cathedrals, flowered lamposts, quaint shops and restaurants. The Belgian waffles you get on the street for 1 EURO are the best in the world! It is easy to naviagate and find your way around all the streets. The people are friendly and almost all the shops speak English. If you go to Brussels, I urge you to visit the Grand Place; you will love very minute of it....just make sure you bring your camera as it's a great place to take photographs! |
| Date posted: July 2008 |
Christos Tsiftsis (Greece):
 I didn't spend too much time in Brussels. Nevertheless, the most enjoyable momment of my brief stay was when I found myself sitting at a coffee shop, enjoying the incredible view of the medieval buildings surrounding the Grand Place. The paved square and the buildings around it, which, as far as i was told, used to be trade unions and Chambers of Commerce, created a wonderful atmosphere, while modern street artists were demonstrating their vocal or performing skills, and tourists and local people circled them to watch or be a part in their shows. The old Town Hall, with its gothic tower, is trully memorable, as you can feel the splendour and the charm of the days of the Renaissance by just staring at it or by touching its walls.
The best time of the day to visit Grand Place is late in the afternoon. You can enjoy a warm tea at the picturesque coffee shops on the square, walk on the paved streets around the square, or you can look for the small statue of the Manneke Pis, a rather overrated bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin.
You shouldn't miss a feast that is held on the Grand Place late in the evening. Strong coloured beams of lights point at the facade of the Town Hall, creating wonderful shapes and figures by colours, while adaptations of classical pieces of music are heard from loudspeakers placed opposite the building. The combination of music and lights on the town hall walls create a marvelous and unforgettable experience, that I can recall before my eyes just right now, while writing these very lines. However, should you want to experience this feast, you have to find out when exactly it is held beforehand.
A wonderful and relaxing visit, that will help you recharge your batteries after a tiring day-walk around the city sightseeing. |
| Date posted: July 2008 |
():
The Grand Place is magical... ethereal beauty of the place astounds you ! Happened to be on a very short visit to Brussels when we were on road trip back to London from Berlin on 30th Dec 2007. Place was overcrowded with people trying to manage a grab of teh delicious waffles, the light and music show.. the place is astounding and sure enough reason for me to want to visit Brussels again!!! |
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Charumathy (India):
I visited the Grand Place, Brussels in August this year. The square is superb. It takes you right back to a few centuries ago. The cobbled streets, the pretty lamp posts with flowers on them, the awesome buildings and the pretty little streets that lead away from the square are amazing to say the least. Not far from the mannequin pis is a little shop that sells the best waffles ever. I can still smell the waffles when I close my eyes and also clearly recall the taste of the fresh honey-dripping waffle I ate!!! |
| Date posted: September 2006 |
Kelly Wood (USA):
My visit to the Grande Place was wonderful. I went in search of it, but was still struck by the majesty of it when I got there. I ended up going back each afternoon of my visit, to stroll through and eat in the open air cafes. This spot truly feels like a crossroads of countries, people and centuries. The buildings are majestic! |
| Date posted: September 2006 |
Ingemar Eriksson (Sweden):
An extremely well kept part of Brussels. I can just agree to all the well written opinions above. |
| Date posted: June 2006 |
raymond shirra (scotland):
Raymond uk
People ask me, what is there in brussels?I have stayed there twice. First time for one night, and two nights the second time.There is more to Brussels than the Grand Place,but it is a place everyone should see if only the once.You really don,t know what to expect until you literaly stumble upon it and you are not dissapointed. Such a wonderful place and even if it rains as it did my on my last visit it is still an enjoyment to soak in the atmosphere. If you have an opportunity to go there, do it. It is the most beautiful square I have seen and I will be going back again. |
| Date posted: April 2006 |
Michelle (USA):
I just got back from Europe. I visited Brussels and was certainly not impressed by the city until....I too turned the corner from one of the little alleys and found my self almost crying from the emotion. It was amazing all lit up at night. I was transported to 300+ years ago and wondered how such a magical place could have survived this long. Unfortunately I couldn't see it during the day as my tour left early the next morning but I will definitely return. |
| Date posted: October 2005 |
Marcel (Germany):
The Grand Place in Brussels is just beautiful! Unfortunately I wasn't there when the flower carpet decorates it, but it anyway is lovely. I've been there on a daytrip with my former French class at school (maybe in 1999 or so) and we all had a great time there. If you're in Brussels you shouldn't forget to at least take a picture in front of Manneken Piss. :-) |
| Date posted: July 2005 |
Klaus Freisinger (Austria):
Probably one of the smallest WH sites, but when you´re in Brussels, you will get there anyway, and it is a very impressive place. Not really as big as the name would imply, the Grote Markt /Grand-Place, to be linguistically correct in the Belgian way, this collection of medieval/ Renaissance houses, especially the City Hall, is still outstanding, especially when you can enjoy great Belgian food and drinks in one of the little alleys nearby. Eating mussels and fries and watching the guild houses lit up at night cannot be easily beaten in terms of joie de vivre. |
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Graeme Ramshaw ():
 I have many memories of the Grand Place in Brussels. Most revolve around the summer tours with my collegiate a cappella group during which we always found ourselves in Brussels and performing, with cap in hand, for the benefit of tourists and locals alike, hoping to scrounge enough cash to fund the night's consumption of fine Belgian beer. As such, the Grand Place was a perfect venue, with a lovely architectural setting and a lively atmosphere, scented by the aroma of waffles and "French" fries. If you find yourself in Brussels, you will inevitably gravitate here, and, remember, always toss a few coins in the direction of the group of college guys crooning doo-wop tunes for the crowds. |
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Ian Cade (England):
 I think in the past I have been very harsh on Brussels, whilst it is not the most attractive of cities la Grande Place/ Grotemark is impressive. It is probably the most visited of the two UNESCO sites in the city, I prefer the Art Nouveau heritage the city has to offer a little more, however the main square is without doubt the biggest draw.
Each time I have visited I get more impressed with la Grand Place, however I was very under whelmed the first time I paid a visit. The guild houses are very impressive. I really have a liking for secular architecture so this is a good place to be! Although there are a few nice parts to see around la Grande Place, many things are just too touristy, perhaps most emphasised by the Manneken Pis statue which is a symbol of kitsch.
However la Hotel de Vile is very impressive as a piece of secular gothic architecture (though perhaps not as good as its companion in Leuven 30 minutes away)
It is defiantly worth a visit to Brussels but if you are expecting to be awe-inspired I think you may be a little disappointed. |
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noelle fenech (malta):
The Grand Place is absolutely stunning. It's one of the most beautiful architectural gems I have every seen in Europe. It is spectacular both in the morning and in the evening when moat of the building on the square are lit up. Truly not to be missed!! |
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Paul McConnell (u.k.):
Early evening, Brussels. I am walking around some of the little cobbled side streets, enjoying belgian beers and the beautiful buildings, and then I turn the corner. Wow. The buildings were lit up beautifully, and despite being incredibly busy (it was good friday), I remember being totally awestruck. During the day, it was just as beautiful, as the whole city had a strange purple/grey light to it, and everything was just so clean. I went to Brussels for a beer-drinking weekend, but tellingly, my best memories are of the city & it's architecture. |
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Charlene Gallegos (USA):
I just got back from Brussels yesterday. The Grand Place is absolutely stunning. I found my way there via metro (1.40 euro each way) and followed the green directional signs through the downtown, and through a few cobbled alleys. As you turn your last corner and wonder if you are going the right way you run into it, and it hits you hard! Amazing, just amazing, the sheer size of the buildings and the incredible artwork. The stone somehow looks like lace! It is remarkably clean in the center of all the buildings, so clean in fact that people of all ages laid on the ground to see everything as the towers were so tall. I ate dinner there outside just so I could have more time to take everything in. You can't just leave easily. I walked away and found myself rounding that one corner again to try and double the effect of seeing it for the first time. |
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Sri Ganesh (USA):
On my official trip to Brussels from the USA in Oct 2002 I was booked in a hotel in the Grand Place area. I just decided to stroll and I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I entered the Grand Place square. It was late in the evening and the square and the guild houses were lit. The effect it had was magical! The critical mass of the Italian Baroque blend of architecture completely transformed me. It was as if I did a time travel to earlier centuries. All this experience is free! I highly recommend this place especially when it is lit!
The disappointing thing is that I tried to find the explanation and the architectural details of each guild house in the Grand Place on the internet in English and couldn't find any. |
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