Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park), Brussels

Brussels Park, often still called the Royal Park, is the largest urban public park in Brussels, spanning over 13 hectares. The city鈥檚 first public park is bordered by major streets and the Belgian House of Parliament. The park is landscaped with plane, chestnut, maple, beech, and trellised lime trees and has a central pond linked by avenues that provide views toward the city's key landmarks such as the Palace of Justice and the Royal Palace.

The park's origins trace back to the former Palace of Coudenberg's gardens, used since the Middle Ages as hunting grounds by the Dukes of Brabant. Under the reign of Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria, the governor of the Austrian Netherlands, the area was adorned with water basins, fountains, imitation rock caves, and numerous statues, making it one of Europe's most beautiful parks. Between 1776 and 1783, it was redesigned in a neoclassical style, featuring a complete overhaul with the felling and replanting of thousands of trees.

Throughout its history, Brussels Park has witnessed significant events, from destruction during the French Revolution to serving as a refuge during the Belgian Revolution. The year 1830 marked a pivotal moment in history when the park saw a major confrontation between revolutionary forces and the Dutch army which ultimately led to Belgian independence from the Netherlands. The revolutionaries emerged victorious, and on September 27, 1830, the nation of Belgium was born.

Inside the park, there are several significant cultural structures like the Royal Park Theatre and Vauxhall of Brussels. The former, established in 1782 at the park's northern end, initially served as a literary hub and a venue for diverse performances, including ballets and operas. After a fire in 1998, it underwent renovations, in the year 2000, to enhance its classical theatre focus. Adjacent to it, the Vauxhall, constructed in the 1780s, has been a prestigious site for concerts and social gatherings. It was revitalized in 1913, featuring distinctive green trelliswork. Nearby, the Vauxhall bandstand, redesigned in 1913 in a neo-Moorish style, briefly hosted summer concerts. The park's primary bandstand, built in 1841, as well as two historic water basins adorned with fountains and busts of Hermes, further exemplify the blend of artistic and natural beauty.

Brussels Park also features around sixty sculptures, mostly Greco-Roman mythological figures. Originally sourced from the Castle of Tervuren's park, these statues bore the brunt of wars, vandalism, and pollution, leading to most of them being replaced by replicas.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brussels. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park)
Sight Location: Brussels, Belgium (See walking tours in Brussels)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Brussels Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Brussels, Belgium

Create Your Own Walk in Brussels

Creating your own self-guided walk in Brussels is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

The European Quarter Walking Tour

Along with Luxembourg and Strasbourg, Brussels is one of the European Union鈥檚 de facto capitals. The office blocks of the European Quarter are mainly concentrated along and between two wide boulevards 鈥� rue de la Loi and rue Belliard 鈥� which L茅opold II built to connect his Parc du Cinquantenaire with the city center.

Begin your exploration with the EU鈥檚 most symbolic construction, the... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

Grand Place Walking Tour

World-famous for its imposing Baroque-style buildings, such as the Town Hall, the King's House and the House of Dukes, the Grand Place of Brussels a whole is indisputably a masterpiece of human creative genius, with a special quality of homogeneity and coherency.

The buildings around the Grand Place, all different but built within a very short period, admirably illustrate the Baroque... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.3 Km or 0.2 Miles

Brussels Historical Churches Walking Tour

As well as being Belgium鈥檚 political and cultural capital, Brussels is the spiritual home of its most significant churches. Historically, the city has been predominantly Roman Catholic, especially since the expulsion of Protestants in the 16th century. The pre-eminent Catholic temple here, located just a couple of minutes from the Grand-Place, is the Brabantine Gothic Cathedral of St. Michael... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles

Mont Des Arts Cultural Walk

Mont des Arts, meaning "hill of the arts", is one of the most important cultural sites in Brussels. A classic among the city鈥檚 vantage points, it offers a fine city garden and restored showcase of architecture, in addition to several great museums.

Start your journey by traveling towards the old part of the city, where you鈥檒l find the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, greatly admired... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles

Brussels Beer Tour

Belgians are not very prone to boasting, except with things such as chocolate, fries and, evidently, beer. They treat beer the way the French treat wine: for the makers, it's a prized art; for the drinkers, it is something to be savored and discussed. They say that, on average, Belgians drink 150 liters of beer per year per person, and one would often see them sipping it from early in the... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

Chocolate Tour in Brussels

Belgium is considered one of, if not the, best producer of chocolate in the world. The country's capital, Brussels abounds in opportunities to taste more than 2,000 different varieties of this delectable treat. There is a plethora of chocolate shops in the city which offer chocolates of all imaginable shapes, sizes and colors.

Plan猫te Chocolat鈥檚 chocolate-making demonstration make a... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

View all walking tours in Brussels, Belgium

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

Belgian Beer Tour of Brussels

Belgium is world-renowned for its beers and Brussels is the best city to sample the huge variety of flavors. We'll show you the best places to buy them and to drink them. We'll even show you a family brewery where the liquid gold is produced right in front of your eyes! This tour is meant...

What to Buy in Brussels: 14 Ideas for Travelers

It's no secret that Brussels is not all about JCVD muscles and EU headquarters. Small country as such, Belgium abounds in signature items, such as beer, chocolates and... the peeing boy. All of these have made prime Belgian souvenirs for years. Now you can explore the Brussels gift scene in...