Belgium

Travel guide

Brussels

The Palais de Justice

This Palace was built between 1866 and 1883 by Joseph Poelaert, the same architect who designed the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels. It is one of the largest stone buildings in the world.

Construction of the Palace of Justice

The architect could not see his work finished when he died in 1879. The original idea he had was to place a pyramid in the Palace. However, the architect who completed the work decided to change Poelaert's idea and place the current cupola. We are not sure if the idea of ​​the pyramid had been the best ... What would you prefer: pyramid or dome?

It is one of the great works of the time of Leopold II. All its buildings are characterized by being in a colossal and neoclassical style. And that has an explanation. The construction of all these buildings coincide with the time of Belgium and the Belgian Congo, a historical moment in which the function of these monuments was to show the strength of the nation because they were financed with all the money that Belgium obtained from its colony in Africa. The budget for the Palace of Justice was extremely exorbitant for the time.

Dimensions of the Palace of Justice

The most impressive thing about this building in the classic Greco-Roman style is, without a doubt, its dimensions. It occupies 26,000 meters of surface and has a total of 246 rooms and 8 patios. In the main room, the dome is over 100 meters high. The dimensions of the palace exceed those of St. Peter's Basilica. When completed it was considered the largest building ever built.

Te contamos el pasado, presente y futuro del palacio de Justicia en nuestro

Free Tour Bruselas

History of the Palace of Justice

At the end of World War II, when the Germans withdrew from Brussels, they set fire to the palace in order to destroy it. As a consequence of the fire, the dome was destroyed and the building was badly damaged. In 1947 most of the building was repaired and the dome was made two meters higher than the original and thinner.

Inside the building

Inside the Palace, the dimensions and quantity of marble used for the construction are striking. Quite a waste thanks to the rubber that came from the Congo. The building consists of two floors and a basement. The building consists of two floors and a basement. The most outstanding areas are the corridors, the stairs, the classical columns and all the figures of the building.

Vistas desde el Palacio de Justicia

En la plaza donde se encuentra el palacio hay una de las mejores vistas de la parte baja de Bruselas

Desde la Plaza Polaert disfrutaremos de unas vistas impresionantes de Bruselas

La parte alta es la zona noble y la baja es donde está el pueblo. Las dos zonas están unidas por un ascensor gratuito, desde aquí obtenemos una de las mejores panorámicas de Bruselas, en días claros distinguiremos incluso el Atomiun en el horizonte .

Curiosities of the Palace of Justice

An aspect that attracts attention when visiting the Palace is that it is full of scaffolding. Do not regret having been unlucky on your trip and not having the perfect photo. Scaffolds are not temporary, they are permanent. The Palace of Justice of Brussels has been like this for decades since, due to its weight and the marshy terrain of Brussels, it must be underpinned by security. It’s incredible but it’s completely true! But if it is a question of security... we have nothing to complain about. Of course, we hope that one day you can enjoy the building in all its splendor.

Function of the Palace of Justice

Today it remains the headquarters of the Belgian Judiciary and Courts of Justice.

The future of the Palace

In 2013, works were approved to completely change the function of the palace. The project includes restaurants, shops, cinema, rooms for companies ... A whole cultural center in the heart of the European capital. The building urgently needs a change and restoration. Hopefully this reform is done soon and we can see a renovated building but that maintains its origins.

Location of the Palace of Justice

Address: Plaza Poelaert 1

Detalles

    Horario

    • 8:00 a 17:00 h - Lunes a Viernes

    Precio

    • Gratis

How to get to the Palace of Justice

    Metro

    • Parada Louise

    Tranvía

    • Parada: Louise

Detalles