The She-Wolf

The She-Wolf is a three-story stone building on Grand Place with a baroque facade decorated with fluted pilasters, ornamental patterns, and sculpted figures. Allegorical statues occupy the wall at different levels, marking each story of the structure.

The building was constructed in 1340 and suffered two fires in 1690 and 1695. After these disasters, architect Pierre Herbosch redesigned and rebuilt the structure significantly.

The facade displays a carved relief showing Romulus and Remus with a she-wolf, linking the building to ancient Rome. This image became the source of the building's name and connects it to a classical story.

The building sits at number 5 on the northwest side of Grand Place, positioned between two neighboring guild houses. A bank currently uses the ground floor, so some interior spaces may be accessible during business hours for viewing the workspace.

A golden phoenix ornament sits at the top of the building, symbolizing its power to recover from destruction. The image refers to the building's ability to rise twice from the ashes of fire.

Location: City of Brussels

Architects: Pierre Herbosch

Architectural style: baroque architecture

GPS coordinates: 50.84690,4.35177

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:04