The star of the Grand-Place. The tower's spire bears a huge 15th century weathervane depicting St. Michael and the dragon.
It's the star of the Grand-Place. The tower's spire bears a huge 15th-century weathervane depicting St. Michael slaying the dragon. Legend has it that "the architect, seeing that he had made a mistake in not placing the tower exactly in the center of the façade, jumped from the top of the 90-meter tower and died". In fact, Jan Van Ruysbroek died in his bed. The asymmetry is due to the fact that it was built in three stages. At the foot of the spire, the portal is not centred on the vertical axis, but is attached to the base of an earlier belfry. A closer look reveals that the town hall has been enlarged and embellished at various times. On the façade, you can't fail to admire the hundreds of statues that adorn the building. There are over 300 of them, representing the Dukes and Duchesses of Brabant, the great families of Brussels, the guilds... it would take days to list them all! However, they do not date back to the original construction in the early 15th century, but were added between 1843 and 1903, during the extensive restoration of several buildings on the Grand-Place.
Behind the Gothic facade, three classical-style wings were built to form an inner courtyard. The golden-colored stone used in this section contrasts with the grey-white stone of the Gothic section. In the courtyard, which is open to all during opening hours, look for the star inlaid in the paving. It indicates the geographical center of Brussels. You can also visit the interior.
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