Stage 3

The Royal Quarter

Neoclassicism

Make your way to Place Royale.

A couple of small anachronisms on the way: n° 31 Rue Ravenstein, the resolutely modern head office of BNP Paribas Fortis, completed in 2021, and its white concrete columns encircling the building; next door, Bozar (Brussels’ Centre for Fine Arts), an Art Deco building designed by Victor Horta and opened in 1929.

A step back in time: next to Bozar, at 3 Rue Ravenstein, admire the old Cleve-Ravenstein Hotel in the late Gothic style, built at the turn of the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Follow the road up to the Place Royale. The street becomes the Coudenberg.

Other notable buildings: at number 68, admire the old English Pharmacy of Charles Delacre (yes, the founder of Delacre biscuits). Don't be fooled by its ancient appearance, the store was built in 1898 in the neo-gothic style by architect Paul Saintenoy. The same year, work began on a jewel of Art Nouveau in Brussels, the Old England store, designed by the same Paul Saintenoy and which today houses the Musical Instruments Museum (again, don't panic, see day 2 for Art Nouveau). Admire the view over the lower part of the city from the top of the Mont des Arts.

Back to the 18^th century! At the end of Coudenberg, you reach the Place Royale (under which lie the archaeological remains of the Coudenberg Palace, which are well worth a visit). This neoclassical, rectangular and symmetrical square is home to such wonders as the church of Saint James on the Coudenberg and the statue of Godfrey of Bouillon; the BIP and, on the other side, the Magritte Museum, which is connected to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts.

Head to Place des Palais, where you’ll find the majestic Royal Palace. This neoclassical monument, the result of the combination of several buildings, belongs to the Belgian State, which makes it available to the king for his work. Opposite the palace, Brussels Park (formerly the Royal Park) is a "French-style" garden in the neoclassical trend, with a forest and a geometric design laid out in the 18^th century and dotted with statues dating from the early 19^th century. On the other side of the park lies the Palace of the Nation, the country's parliament, still in the neoclassical style, just like the buildings that surround the park.

Have you gone for a little stroll? Then make your way back to Place Royale and it's time to move on towards Place des Musées to discover the palace of Charles of Lorraine, the Royal Protestant Chapel and the Palace of National Industry, an impressive neoclassical ensemble built during the second half of the 18^th century (with changes made during the 19^th century).