Palace of Justice (Brussels)


Remembering about the most significant sights of Brussels , it is impossible not to mention the grandiose construction of the 19th century, serving as an excellent guide in the city - the Palace of Justice.

general information

The Palace of Justice in Brussels is the building where the High Court of Belgium is located. The Palace of Justice is located on a hill with the talking name "hanging hill", from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city.

The initiator of the construction of the Palace of Justice in Brussels was one of the first Belgian monarchs - King Leopold II, the architect of the project was Joseph Poulart, also known for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Laken . The construction of the Palace of Justice lasted more than 20 years and was completed in 1883, Joseph Poulart did not live to see it for 4 years. The erection of the Palace of Justice in Brussels from the very beginning was accompanied by loud arguments and indignation, which is not surprising, since a huge amount of money (about $ 300 million) was spent on the implementation of this project and more than 3,000 houses were demolished. On the opening day of the Palace of Justice, local residents desecrated the building, and the word "architect" for a long time remained abusive.

Architecture of the Palace of Justice

The Palace of Justice in Brussels is a mixture of eclectic and Assyrian-Babylonian style - a gray building with a golden dome decorating it. This huge building, three times the size of the Royal Palace , it's just impossible not to notice in the city. The height of the Palace of Justice is 142 meters together with the dome, and its dimensions along the perimeter are 160 meters in length and 150 meters in width, the total area of ​​the building is 52,464 square meters. meters, and the area of ​​internal premises exceeds 26 thousand square meters. meters.

The Palace of Justice in Brussels is still used for its direct purpose - in the building of 27 courtrooms and the Court of Cassation of Belgium , besides in the building there are 245 rooms used for other purposes and 8 adjoining yards. This is the largest building of the 19th century, which has survived to this day. A lot of tourists, coming to Brussels, make a visit to the Palace of Justice in the list of required Belgian attractions .

How to get there?

You can reach the Louise station by metro or by tram number 92, 94 to the Poelaert stop. The Palace of Justice operates from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.00 hours, no fee for sightseeing.