A tour to the Royal Palace of Brussels
Located on the Place des Palais, the Royal Palace of Brussels is the king’s administrative center. The official residence of the king and the royal family is situated in Laeken, which is very famous for the Royal Greenhouse that is open to the public, once a year. This palace is the center of Brussels where the King carries out his duties as Head of State, welcoming representatives of the political institutions, foreign and other guests.
The middle axis of the park marks both the middle peristyle of the Palace and the middle of the facing building on the other side of the park, which is the Palace of the Nation. The two facing buildings are said to symbolize Belgium’s system of government that is a constitutional monarchy.
The Architecture of Royal Palace of Brussels
The construction of the Palace began at the beginning of the nineteenth century commissioned by William I of the Netherlands. During the reign of King Leopold II, the palace was remodeled and the façade was changed completely. These were the last restorations done to the Palace.
History of the Royal Palace of Brussels
The Palace was built on the foundations of the court of the Dukes of Brabant and Emperor Charles V. This building was termed the Coudenberg Palace and was destroyed by a fire in 1731. The restoration of the new palace started in 1820 under king Willem I, and modifications in Louis XIV style were made in 1904 under Leopold II. There are two pavilions adjacent to the side wings. On the left of the Civil List and on the right is the Hotel Bellevue which is currently the Bellvue museum documenting Belgian history.
Visit the Royal Palace
Every year in summer, the Royal palace opens up to the public (for free). This is the occurrence to walk through the palace and marvel at the grandeur of this fine sample of neoclassical architecture. Try to plan your visit to Brussels according to its opening times.
You will enter the palace via the Vestibule where you can store your backpack. Then you will take the Main Stairway up and start your self-guided tour through the majestic halls of the palace.
The large Anti-chamber features portraits of Prince of Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and his spouse Princess Charlotte of Wales. The Empire Room was the ballroom of the Austrian imperial representative, which explains why there are dancing angels in the gilding and the low reliefs. The small and large white room with original 18th-century decorations constituted the apartment of state of the Austrian Minister. The Goya Room and Coburg Room have a similar layout and are respectively characterized by large tapestries based on Goya’s drawings and multiple paintings of the Coburg family.
If you move ahead, next up is the impressive Throne Room with its high ceilings, mosaic floor, and sumptuous chandeliers.
The Marble Room, the former dining room of King Leopold II, leads into the Large Gallery, an enormous gala room usually used for dinners and receptions.
The thinker room leads another of the Palace’s highlights. In the Mirror Room, the ceiling and one of the chandeliers are covered with approximately one million and a half jewel-scarab wing cases. It’s a work of art from the land of Jan Fabre. The mirror room usually hosts a temporary science exhibition where kids can do various little experiments.
Apart from the offices of the King and the Queen, the Royal Palace houses the services of the Grand Marshal of the court, the King’s Head of Cabinet, the head of the King’s Military Household, and the Intendant of the King’s Civil List.
The Palace also includes the State Rooms where large receptions are held, as well as the apartments provided for foreign Heads of State during official visits.
Once you are done with your visit to the Royal Palace, walk back to the city center to have a break in the Royal Park located right across the street. This park, shortlisted as one of the best parks to picnic in Brussels, is a magnificent park with several gems to explore.
In the palace, an important part of the royal collection is found. This consists of mainly state portraits and important furniture of Napolean, Leopold I, King Louis Philippe, and Leopold II.
Silverware, porcelain, and fine crystal are kept in the cellars used during state banquets and formal occasions at court. Queen Paola added modern art to some of the staterooms.
When to visit?
Since the year 1965, the Palais Royal de Bruxelles is open to the public normally from the 21st July (the national bank holiday) until the beginning of September. The palace opens from Tuesday until Sunday at 10:30 am and closes at 5 pm. On Monday the Palace is closed.
If you are in Brussels for summer, we recommend visiting this beautiful dwelling where you will be able to explore many of the building’s rooms.
Therefore summer is the best time and season to visit the Royal Palace of Brussels. It will lower your cost and you can even enjoy the other tourist attractions in Belgium.
If you wish to travel in the summer this year, this is the best time for you to apply for a Belgium visa. Hurry up and book an appointment for yourself, then submit your documents and within a small span of time get your Belgium visa ready. After all these actions you can easily book your flight and accommodation for a beautiful experience in Belgium visiting the Royal Palace of Brussels.
