Palace of Justice of Brussels

The Palace of Justice in Brussels stands on the Place Poelaert in the Marolles district, a steep hill once called Gallows Mount where criminals were hanged in the Middle Ages. Designed by Joseph Poelaert in an eclectic Greco-Roman style, it replaced an earlier courthouse and was built between 1866 and 1883. The building covers 26,006 square metres and is one of the largest courthouses in the world. It houses Belgium’s highest courts, including the Court of Cassation and the Court of Assizes. The structure suffered damage during the Second World War when the cupola was destroyed by retreating German forces. Restoration work has been ongoing since 1984, with scaffolding still visible on parts of the building. The courthouse was commissioned by Minister of Justice Victor Tesch and planned after years of failed proposals. Poelaert withdrew to Paris to finalise his designs, assisted by architects Charles Laisné and Édouard Corroyer. The project required demolishing part of the Marolles neighbourhood and expropriating the Merode family’s gardens. Around 75 landlords and a hundred residents were relocated, some to the Tillens-Roosendael garden city in Uccle. Poelaert himself lived nearby, though many locals blamed him for the forced removals, coining the insult ‘schieven architect’. Visitors approach the building through the Place Poelaert, connected to the lower town by the Poelaert Elevators. The grand staircase leads to the main entrance, where towering columns frame the entrance hall. Inside, high ceilings and marble floors reflect the Greco-Roman inspiration of the design. The restored cupola rises 2.5 metres higher than the original, its gilded surface catching the light. Despite ongoing renovations, the palace remains an imposing presence in Brussels’ skyline.