Visiting the Royal Palace Brussels - Belgium

The Royal Palace Brussels lies in the heart of the city. During one of our walks we see that it is opened to the public. We are surprised that the admission is free and very pleased that filming is permitted. Since 1965 it is tradition that the Brussels royal palace opens its gates for visitors for some weeks during summer.

The palace was built on the remains of the Coudenberg palace, which was destroyed almost completely by a fire, in 1731. The Coudenberg palace was the former court the Herzöge of Brabant and served the Burgundians and Habsburgs as residence. Today, remnants can be seen in Belvue Museum.

After the independence of Belgium, it became the residence of King Leopold I. In 1904, Leopold II extended the palace to its present form. Today, the Royal Palace in Brussels, the symbol for the constitutional monarchy, is only used for work and representation purposes. The royal family now lives in Laeken Castle, located in the Park right next to the Atomium.

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In the neo-baroque building you see the offices of the king and the queen and some offices of some senior Labour Cabinet and Head of Protocol. Various state rooms are still used for receptions.

Every year, different exhibitions are shown in the palace. In 2014, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first World War, it was a historical exhibition about the Belgian royal couple Albert and Elisabeth in the context of the first world war, vividly presented with film documents.

Furthermore, documents, pictures, uniforms, medals and other paraphernalia of the royal dynasty are displayed. Episodes from the Congo until the Second World War are presented from the point of view of the royal family.

A highlight is the Mirror Room. In 2002, the ceiling and the chandelier were covered with 1.6 million green shimmering shells of Buprestidae beetles, a non-protected species. The so-called Heaven of Delight is a project of the artist Jan Fabre.

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