Portiques de la place Royale de Bruxelles, Neoclassical porticos at Place Royale, Brussels, Belgium.
Description
The Portiques de la place Royale are four columned galleries with white facades that frame the square on its principal sides. Each structure features a central entrance portal with arched passages on both sides, built with classical details and stone craftsmanship.
History
These arcades were built between 1775 and 1782 as part of a major square redesign under Austrian rule. French architects directed the construction, looking to continental models for inspiration.
Culture
The porticos frame the square and reflect how European courts borrowed from each other's urban design ideas. Today they shape how people move through and experience this formal public space.
Practical
You can reach the arcades easily on foot from central Brussels or via the Central Station and Parc metro stops nearby. The square is best visited early in the day when it is less crowded.
Did you know?
The Hôtel de Spangen, one of the four structures, was built for a count between 1776 and 1777 and remains unrestored to this day. This gives it a noticeably different appearance from its three neighboring porticos.
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