Bruxella 1238, Archaeological site in Brussels, Belgium
Bruxella 1238 is an excavated medieval Franciscan monastery complex buried beneath the Brussels Stock Exchange building. Through glass floor panels, you can see the foundations, graves, and building remains where monks lived and worshipped.
Franciscan monks settled here in 1238 to establish their community in growing Brussels. The complex became an important religious center until the site was built over and forgotten for centuries.
The remains show how Franciscans shaped medieval Brussels and where they prayed, lived, and were buried. You can see today how important this religious community was to the city's daily life.
Access is through a ground-level window at the stock exchange plaza with stairs leading down to the remains. It is best to visit during daylight hours to properly see and photograph the glass panels showing the ruins.
Excavations in 1988 uncovered the five pillars that once supported John I's Baroque tomb, but his remains had already vanished, likely during the Brussels Republic. The site also displays the finds and explains the archaeologist's work.
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