Royal Brussels, monarchy and majesty

The upper half of the city is home to the Royal Quarter and the emblematic Royal Palace of Brussels. It is made up of several buildings dating from the late 18th century and serves as the monarch's place of work. In keeping with tradition, the palace opens to the public for a few weeks in July and August, around the time of Belgium's 21 July National Day celebrations. You can't help but be captivated by the sumptuous splendour of the palace's rooms, halls and galleries.

Did you know? Every morning, the King travels from his residence in Laeken to his place of work. Sometimes, the King's day is punctuated by special events, such as the arrival of a public figure (head of state, ambassador, etc.) or the parade on 21 July. On such occasions, he is accompanied by a mounted escort. These riders are part of the Federal Police. 

The area surrounding the Royal Palace is also imbued with royal history. Brussels Park, commonly known as the Royal Park, adjoins the Palace and was once the garden of the former Coudenberg Palace, the predecessor of the Royal Palace. Its perfectly straight paths and lawns are the perfect place to relax. As you walk around the Palace, you'll come across, down the small rue Brederode, the ‘Norwegian Chalet’ or ‘Swiss Chalet’. Leopold II commissioned a Norwegian architect to design it to house the administrative offices for his African territories.

The Royal Palace in cntral Brussels and the Castle of Laeken are linked by the ‘Tracé Royal’ (Royal route). The Castle of Laeken, whose core dates back to 1784, is the royal residence. It is not open to visitors, but you can visit the famous Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, which are adjacent to the castle. This sumptuous glass structure was designed by Alphonse Balat, one of King Leopold II's principal architects. The greenhouses are open to the public for three weeks in the spring. The visit includes a walk through the gardens of the Royal Estate.

In Laeken's public park stands the Monument to the Dynasty, a 43-metre-high neo-Gothic memorial designed in homage to the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I. On the edge of the park sits the renowned Church of Our Lady of Laeken, built after the death of the first Queen of Belgium, Louise-Marie of Orléans, which features a crypt where members of the royal family are buried. The church and its remarkable cemetery are open during regular opening hours, while the crypt is accessible on specific dates.

There are a number of green spaces close to the Royal Estate that are well worth a visit. At the beginning of the 20th century, Sobieski Park was partly converted into a royal orchard to supply the court. It featured dwarf trees from which guests were invited to help themselves to oranges, peaches and apricots. Works that were completed in 1900 transformed the Florist's Gardens into a recreational garden. The Colonial Garden was designed for the cultivation and study of plants from the Congo. These three areas are now open to the public and are unmissable green havens with varied layouts that have conserved traces of their past.

Last but not least, the royal influence in Brussels is not limited to buildings, parks and people. It also extends to all kinds of initiatives in the social, cultural and healthcare fields. One such example is the internationally renowned famous Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the world's most prestigious music competitions! Founded in 1937 by Queen Elisabeth, the competition aims to give visibility to young virtuosos. The competition takes place every year in the spring, at Flagey and Bozar.

Did you know? Duden Park in Forest is well known to those who love outdoor spaces. It is flanked by the Art Deco-style Joseph Marien Stadium, home to historic Brussels football team Union Saint-Gilloise. Both the park and the stadium are part of what's called the Royal Donation. It was founded in 1930 by the Belgian State to manage, maintain and conserve movable and immovable heritage (parks, forests, buildings, etc.). This heritage came from Leopold II's donation to the Belgian State of an impressive series of properties acquired during his reign. Some of the possessions are made available to the king, such as the Castle of Laeken and its park, while others are rented out or leased, such as Duden Park and Joseph Marien Stadium.