EN SCALE MODEL — Brussels around the mid 13th century By Claire Louis 1 2 3 4 5 6 Port on the river Senne Saint-Géry island The Nedermerct Franciscan monastery The Chaussée (Steenweg) Coudenberg castle Commercial port near the Scipbrug. Island formed by the branches of the The most important market square in the Monastery founded by the Mendicant Stone road linking the lower and upper Fortress serving as the residence for the Senne, with a church dedicated to Saint- lower town. Bordered to the North by the Order of Friars Minor. towns. Duke of Brabant, built on the Coudenberg. This port on the river Senne was probably Géry in the centre. Bread Hall. created some ten years before 1020 (date Around 1238, just a few years after the The Chaussée was the main route linking The fortress was built in the 11th century of the oldest text mentioning it). It was the The Saint-Géry island (also known as the This area was originally a marsh. After it death of St Francis of Assisi, a community the lower town where the ordinary people or at the latest in the early 12th century. reason for the development of Brosela or ‘Large island’) was formed at the junction had been drained it was occupied by the of Friars Minor established itself in the lived and where trade took place, with the It was a fortified residence for the House Bruocsela or Broekzele, meaning the ‘vil- of the two main branches of the Senne: Nedermerct (lower market), the most centre of Brussels, on the banks of the upper town where the central government of Louvain who ruled the Duchy of Brabant lage of the marsh’. The Scipbrug (ship the Large Senne that entered the town important of the numerous town markets Senne near the church of St Nicolas. sat. Leaving the town, it continued to in which Brussels was located. Its con- bridge) spanned the river. The Senne is a from the South; and the Small Senne or that developed in the area around the Outside of the convent, the Franciscan Ghent and Bruges from the lower town and struction on top of the hill gave it an tributary of the Scheldt, flowing to Antwerp Ransfort Senne that entered from the church of St Nicolas (patron saint of shop- Mendicant Order expanded its social and Namur from the upper town. Half-way up excellent strategic position. It was and then on to the North Sea. The port West. The island was probably not natural, keepers). There were a great variety of preaching activities. the hills it branched into two sections: one enclosed by the city wall constructed in was initially a transit centre for surplus but was created by hydraulic work under- stalls belonging to traders and craftsmen going to Cologne via Louvain; the other the 13th century. The game-filled country- grain from the great agricultural estates taken in the 12th century to enable water in the market, whereas in the neighbouring History This religious complex expanded going to Paris via Mons. side outside the walls was the Duke’s nearby, but it then became a hub for more mills belonging to the Duke of Brabant, streets specialist markets developed for over the years (see the model of Brussels hunting ground, whilst the church dedicat- wide-ranging trade. It became even more Overlord of Brussels, to be installed. It cheese, fish, poultry, charcoal etc. Wooden in the 17th century). The monastery was History For centuries, the Chaussée was ed to St James served as the ducal important when it was directly linked to took its name from the church dedicated and stone houses sprang up around the dissolved and sold in 1796 due to the the major route for traffic, giving the town chapel. It had been a hospice for pilgrims, the Cologne-Bruges trading route in the to Saint-Géry that was probably founded market square. In the space between the secularisation of ecclesiastical goods dur- an East-West structure. In the 19th century, but it became part of a monastery of the mid 12th century at the latest. in the 10th century. Chaussée and the lower market, the cov- ing the French rule. A butter market was the town changed to a North-South route order of St Augustine. ered markets were occupied by butchers, established where the church used to structure. The old Chaussée disappeared History At the end of the 16th century the History The church of Saint-Géry grew and drapers and bakers. stand and part of the other buildings were completely in the 20th century when the History From the second half of the 13th boatmen left the banks of the Senne for changed over the centuries, but was reallocated. This all disappeared when the Montagne de la Cour area was developed century onwards the Dukes of Brabant the Willebroeck canal that was opened in destroyed in 1798 during the French rule. History Later on this market was common- Senne was covered over (1867-1871) into the Mont des Arts. chose the castle as their main residence. 1561. The canal enabled larger boats to All signs of the island disappeared when ly known as the Grand-Place. The square and the central boulevards were laid out. Today: Going from the upper town to Brussels thus became the political centre travel to Antwerp in one or two days, as the Senne was covered over in 1871. Ten became not only the economic heart of The Butter Market then gave way to the the lower town, you can find the route of of Brabant and, from the 15th century opposed to eight days to two months on years later, the public square used as a the town, but also its political centre. Bourse (stock exchange). In 1988 archae- the former Chaussée along the following onwards, centre of all of the principalities the Senne. The old port was then occupied market that had taken the place of the It gradually took on its rectangular shape ological excavations underneath the rue roads: rue de Namur / Montagne de la making up the Netherlands. The castle by the Fish Market until the river was cov- church of Saint-Géry, was modified so that thanks to interventions by the municipal de la Bourse revealed vestiges of part of Cour / de la Madeleine / Marché aux gradually lost its military fortress appear- ered over in 1867-1871. This was done to the Saint-Géry Halls (a covered market) authorities. In the first half of the 15th cen- the monastery. Herbes / Marché aux Poulets / Sainte- ance to become a palace and the seat of clean up the city and make the centre could be constructed. Since the 1990s tury, they built a prestigious town hall. At Today: The Bourse. Vestiges visible at Catherine / de Flandre. central institutions (see model of Brussels more attractive, as industrial effluents had the Saint-Géry area has become livelier the same time the Duke of Brabant con- the archaeological site ‘Bruxella 1238’. in the 17th century). The palace was made the Senne a virtual open sewer. The and is now one of the capital’s most ani- structed a building to house the various Information: +32 (0)2 279 43 55 - destroyed in the terrible fire of 1731. area was then home to the Central Halls mated areas. sections of his administration on the site www.brucity.be. In 1775 work started on the current place (a covered market) until they were demol- Today: Area around place Saint-Géry. of the former Bread Hall (bread market). Royale, the church of Saint-Jacques-sur- ished to make way for a car park for the Houses belonging to rich individuals as Coudenberg and the Royal district. As in World Fair of 1958. well as guilds occupied the rest of the the past, the upper town is still host to the Today: Port = building known as square. The Grand-Place was also an ideal country’s main political institutions. ‘Parking 58’ on the rue de la Vierge Noire, location for festivals and official events. Today: place Royale – rue Royale. including a car park, offices and a super- The houses of the Grand-Place were Vestiges are visible at the ‘Charles V’ market. Scipbrug = corner of rue Marché rebuilt following the fire caused by the archaeological site. aux Poulets and rue de la Vierge Noire. bombardment of 1695 using the same Information: +32 (0)2 545 08 00 – layout but in the style in vogue at the time. www.coudenberg.com. All of the buildings on the Grand-Place were renovated in the late 19th century. Today: The Nedermerct = Grand-Place. Bread Hall = Maison du Roi (completely rebuilt between 1875 and 1896). EN 7 9 10 11 The Cantersteen that would probably have already been Church of Notre-Dame The Grain Hall (Corenhuys) St John’s hospital one of the three main focal points of the One of the town’s fortified stone houses. there. The four kilometre long wall had de la Chapelle Covered structure containing the grain The largest hospice in Brussels for poor town that was enclosed within the first city watchtowers and a parapet. It was defend- Parish church in the Chapelle district, market. citizens. wall in the 13th century. A chapel dedicat- Steenen were fortified stone houses that ed by an impressive ditch. These ramparts located outside the first city wall. ed to the archangel St Michael may have belonged to most important families and enabled Brussels to stand out from the The hall was a simple 13th century wood- Several hospitals had already been built in been built there as early as the 9th centu- that protected the town before the con- neighbouring countryside and create a A chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary was en structure housing the grain market.