King's Square

From the steps of the church, you have a stunning view of the valley of the Zenne, the river that flowed through Brussels. The tower of the town hall stands out prominently. It is in this area, at the deepest point of the valley, that Brussels originated in the 10^th century. Where the trade route between Bruges and Cologne crossed with the Zenne, people saw the opportunity to trade and sell and process products from the surrounding area. This was a success, as a hundred years later, it was bustling with activity.

Powerful figures emerged who organized society and no longer needed the water of the Zenne. They settled on the steep slopes of the valley and began to construct palaces. One of the most powerful was the Palace on the Coudenberg. But that palace burned down in 1731 and was replaced by the square where you now stand: a rectangular square with buildings that all look alike and are symmetrically built. This is called Classicism.

Godfried of Bouillon dominates the center, looking out over the lower city. When young Belgium needed national heroes to write its history and thus claim an identity, it searched for great heroes from its ‘national’ past. Godfried of Bouillon was a leader of the First Crusade and conquered Jerusalem, as he claimed, ‘wading in the blood of the Saracens’. He was deemed suitable to be showcased in 1848. Presumably, we would think differently about that today, just as we do about many other statues in the city.

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