Le Palais de justice

The grand entrance on the Place Poelaert side has finally regained its original luster! The courthouse is a case apart, a true "monument", in every sense of the term, of Brussels heritage... Gigantic, this colossus is larger than the Saint-Pierre de Rome basilica! At the time of the building's construction, the intention was clear: everything was done to impress, from the outside as well as the inside. A symbolic place, bearer of a heavy history, the courthouse is erected on the former "Mount of the Gallows", where condemned people were executed in the Middle Ages. Legend has it that in the 16th century, the famous doctor Vesalius would go there to steal corpses at night to study the human body… It is one of the most impressive monuments in Brussels which offers at its sides a breathtaking panorama over the lower part of the city. It is the work of Joseph Poelart, who won the international competition set up by the Belgian government in 1860. The inauguration of the palace took place on October 15, 1883, 4 years after the death of its architect. Adored by some, decried by others, this pharaonic work counts 40,000 m² of usable surface and a dome that culminates at 100 meters in height! The visit to the courthouse will allow you to learn more about its truculent history, but also about the architecture of the building, about the works of art it contains, or even about the Belgian judicial system.