Great Hospice

The Great Hospice is a Neoclassical building with tall columns and balanced proportions, occupying a large section of its city block. The structure displays 19th-century design features and now houses various community and social functions.

Architect Henri Partoes designed and built this structure between 1824 and 1827 on the site of the former Grand Beguinage of Brussels. This construction followed the original establishment of a care facility founded by Pacheco's widow over a century earlier.

The name comes from Augustin Pacheco, a Spanish nobleman whose widow founded a hospital here in 1713. The building still carries the memory of this heritage as a place of care and community.

The building sits at Rue du Grand Hospice 7 in the Alhambra Quarter and is easily reached on foot. Visitors can view the architecture from outside, and the grounds are generally accessible to pedestrians passing through the neighborhood.

The site operated as a care facility for over three centuries before transforming into a modern community center. This long continuity shows how a place can keep its purpose while the methods of support completely change.

Location: City of Brussels

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture

Operator: CPAS de la ville de Bruxelles - OCMW van de stad Brussel

Website: https://grand-hospice.brussels

GPS coordinates: 50.85381,4.35015

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:06