- Address: Museumplein 1, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
- Phone: +32 (0) 2 519 53 72
- Discovery: 1757
- Opening hours: 13.00 - 17.00 (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)
- The cost of visiting: adult - 3 euros, children under 13 years - free of charge
What is Brussels for the domestic tourist? These are the famous "Manneken Pis and " Atomium , Grand Place and King's House , city museums and parks, souvenir shops and sweets. And, of course, these are magnificent Belgian castles . Another must see for travelers in Brussels is the Palace of Charles of Lorraine. Let's find out who the owner of the castle was and what is interesting about this architectural structure.
The Palace of Charles Lorraine is a popular attraction of Brussels
So, Carl of Lorraine lived in Brussels in the XVIII century. From 1744 to 1780, he was Governor General of the Austrian Netherlands and, moreover, was known as a generous philanthropist. Karl Alexander Lorraine highly valued both art and science. He finished his palace in accordance with his own tastes and fashion trends of the time, and his building is still of great interest for lovers of antiquity. A sad fact in the history of the palace is its barbaric looting by French marauders in 1794. As a result, most of the treasures of this castle are irretrievably lost, and only a few halls have survived to this day in its original form.
The interior of the palace is as impressive as its architecture in the neoclassical style. Attention of visitors is attracted by bas-reliefs in the hall, depicting four elements, and a star with 28 rays, which is lined with the times of Belgian marble. You can see this miracle in the main hall, where once the governor arranged magnificent receptions. In the rotunda, massive marble and wooden stairs lead. The real decoration of the castle is the statue of Hercules Laurent Delvaux. Also here you can see Chinese porcelain, silverware and medals, palanquins, musical instruments and other things that were used by aristocrats of the XVIII century.
Today in the Palace of Charles Lorraine there is a museum dedicated to the art and way of life of the 18th century. In four of its halls there are exhibits related to different eras. At the museum a small shop is opened, where they sell themed maps, disks, books and various souvenirs.
In front of the palace is the Museum Square, where there are other interesting tourist sites. Among them is a very interesting luminous well called "Failure". There are exhibits of the Museum of Modern Art.
How to get to the sights?
The palace is located in close proximity to the Brussels metro stations "Park" and "Central". Visit it can be on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday from 13 to 17 hours. On other days, as well as on holidays, from December 25 to January 1 and the last two weeks of August, the museum for visits is closed. The ticket price is 3 euros, and children under 13 years are free.
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