The Courthouse

The grand entrance on the Place Poelaert side has finally regained its original splendor! The Palace of Justice is a special case, a true “monument”, in every sense of the word, of Brussels heritage... Gigantic, this colossus is larger than 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, carrying a heavy history, the Palace of Justice was erected on the former “Mount of the Gallows”, where convicts were executed in the Middle Ages. Legend has it that in the 16th century, the famous physician Vesalius would steal corpses there at night to study the human body… It is one of the most impressive monuments in Brussels, which offers a breathtaking panorama of the lower part of the city on its sides. It is the work of Joseph Poelart, who won the international competition organized 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.