The Royal Palace of Belgium

Culture and History tour in Brussels

Tour Price : €200 Duration : 5 hours Languages: English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Swedish

The Royal Palace of Belgium is one of the most beautiful official buildings in the capital, Brussels.

  Standing opposite the Parliament building on the other side of the Royal Park, the Royal Palace symbolises our system of government, that is to say, a constitutional monarchy. The Palace is the place where His Majesty the King exercises his prerogatives as Head of State. It is at the Palace that the King grants audiences and deals with affairs of state. Apart from the offices of the King and the Queen, the Royal Palace houses the services of the Grand Marshal of the Court, the King's Head of Cabinet, the Head of the King's Military Household and the Intendant of the King's Civil List. The Palace also includes the State Rooms where large receptions are held, as well as the apartments provided for foreign Heads of State during official visits.

  On the initiative of Her Majesty the Queen and through the good offices of the government's building agency "Regie des Batiments - Regie der Gebouwen", three contemporary works of art were installed in the Royal Palace in October 2002. These are works by art photographer Dirk Braeckman, painter Marthe Wery and sculptor Jan Fabre.
The Grand Staircase

  This majestic feature, with its imposing proportions, was designed by Alphonse Balat for King Leopold II. The pale walls and the stone columns, the white marble of the enormous staircase, the green marble of the banister, the gilding, the mirrors, the picture windows and the marble Minerva all contribute to the overall impression of harmony.

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Goya Room
This room takes its name from the tapestries, "The Dance" and "Blind Man's Buff", woven in Madrid after a drawing by Francisco de Goya. They were presented to King Leopold I by Queen Isabella II of Spain.

Small White Room
Furnished with Empire chairs, the Small White Room was a wedding present from the King of France, Louis-Philippe to his daughter Louise-Marie and King Leopold I. It is decorated with portraits of Queen Marie-Louise and her parents, King Louis-Philippe and Marie-Amelie de Bourbon.

Vase Room
Built during the reign of King William I of the Netherlands (1814-1830), this room served as an audience room for the Queen. The current decoration dates from the 1930s when repair work had to be carried out. The vase that gives the room its name was made in the 19th century by a Berlin porcelain manufacturer. A painting by E. De Biefve depicts the reception of King Leopold I at the Te Deum on 22 July 1831 when he took the oath of office.

Large White Room
In this room, which is part of the oldest section of the Palace, the decoration from the late 18th century is well preserved (particularly the Italian-inspired ornamental grotesques). The Empire furniture, a wedding present from Louis-Philippe, King of France, to his daughter Louise-Marie and to King Leopold I, still carries its original Beauvais tapestry trim.

Music Room
Built for the King William I of The Netherlands (1814-1830) as an art galler, fine gifts and objets d'art were exhibited here. The "Paintings Gallery" retained that function during the reign of King Leopold I and King Leopold II. During the 1930s, the room was given a new purpose and became a music and projection room. The tapestry, woven in a Paris workshop, dates from the 17th century and represents the triumph of glory.

Throne Room
Built in the reign of King Leopold II, this room contains bas-reliefs by Auguste Rodin. These represent the eight economic activities which, with one exception, symbolize the provinces of Belgium. The exception is "Brabant" where the Palace is situated. The Scheldt and the Meuse, symbols of Flanders and Wallonia respectively, were carved by Thomas Vincotte and embellish the top of the doors. Oak and exotic wood parquet, as well as bronze and gilded chandeliers give the prestigious Throne Room an imposing appearance.

Grand Hall
An ideal room for holding banquets and receptions, this state room, built during the reign of Leopold II, is adorned with late 19th century furniture. The paintings on the ceiling, works by Leon-Charles Cardon, were inspired by the Louvre and Versailles. They evoke Dawn, Morning, Day and Dusk.

Mirror Room
Construction of this room, which evokes the Congo, was started during the reign of Leopold II. The walls are decorated with marble and copper. King Albert I had the work completed, placing mirrors on the walls, which were originally intended to accommodate allegorical scenes evoking Africa.  In 2002 the ceiling was decorated with more than a million jewel beetle carapaces, a project by the artist Jan Fabre.

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Blue Room
Originally an anti-chamber, this room became a dining-room for Court dignitaries, as evidenced by the banquet table. (When the Palace is open to the public, this table is laid with plates, glasses and tableware dating from the early 19th century). The Blue Room accommodates a large number of portraits of Kings and Princes.

Marshals' Room
Originally the audience room of King William I of The Netherlands, this room which leads to the Throne Room contains a number of interesting portraits, particularly that of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, father of King Albert I, and that of Arch-Duke Maximilian of Austria.

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