Esplanade of the European Parliament, Pedestrian mall in European Quarter, Belgium

The Esplanade of the European Parliament stretches across Espace Leopold with pink and white flagstones, green spaces, and a circular footbridge linking parliamentary buildings. The space connects two main areas of the quarter through wide, open walkways for pedestrians.

The site emerged in 2002 when the Brussels-Luxembourg railway station was covered over to create a direct passage between Place du Luxembourg and Leopold Park. This transformation made the ground into an accessible public space at the heart of the European Quarter.

The northern section displays marble slabs with inscriptions in four languages that commemorate major European events and social movements. These markings tell stories of moments that shaped how Europeans live together.

The Mall is served by Brussels-Luxembourg railway station, whose former station building, now an information centre, fronts onto Place du Luxembourg. The esplanade runs between Place du Luxembourg to the west and Leopold Park to the east, with a glass-covered stairway rising from its southern portion. There are no shops or services along its length, so plan accordingly.

The name Mall derives from le Mail, a form of croquet played in 16th-century France on a raised grassy valley beside the Tuileries Palace gardens. Brussels designers borrowed the term because Leopold Park, next to the esplanade, was originally higher ground.