Church of St. Gaugericus, Gothic church in Pentagon, Brussels, Belgium.
Sint-Goriksplein is a rectangular square in the center of Brussels that occupies the site of a former church. The plaza sits in the heart of the city and shows how Brussels transformed its medieval religious spaces into public areas.
A chapel was founded in 979 on an island in the Zenne River and later grew into a church dedicated to Saint Gaugericus. The structure was demolished in 1797 during French rule, after which the area was converted into a public square.
The square is named after Saint Gaugericus, a saint once honored in this medieval area. You can see this connection in the street names and the stories locals share about the site's religious past.
The square is located in central Brussels and is easy to reach on foot from the metro or nearby attractions. The space is open and freely accessible at all times, making it a convenient stop while exploring the old city center.
A section of the original Zenne River that once ran through this area remains partially visible between Sint-Goriksplein and Sint-Kristoffelstraat. This hidden waterway marks where the city's first settlement began on an island surrounded by water.
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