Luxembourg Square
Encyclopedia
The Place du Luxembourg (French
) or Luxemburgplein (Dutch
) is a square
in the European Quarter
of Brussels
(Belgium
).
s and bars which dominate the wide pavements
, with some bank
s and other retail
services, serving the employees
and members
of the neighbouring European Parliament
as well as the other European Institutions
and associated organisations which are mostly located close-by.
In the centre of the square is a statue of John Cockerill, a prominent British-Belgian 19th century industrialist
, which is a copy of the statue outside Seraing
town hall in Liège
. The figure of Cockerill is leaning against an anvil
and surrounded by an industrial figures from period: a glassmaker, a mechanic, a puddler
and a miner. Cockerill's motto
, Work and Intelligence, are engraved upon the statue.
, an area developed in the first few decades after the Belgian Revolution
, and the most prestigious residential area in the capital for the bulk of the 19th century. The district had been designed in the 1830s, but the original design did not include provisions for a train station. When the new "Gare du Quartier Leopold
" station was built in 1854, architect Antoine Trappeniers was commissioned to draw up plans for a large public square leading to the station building. Rue de Luxembourg was then in an embryonic state, and the square was created as its end point. The square was designed in a neo-classical style. It was designed to be as symmetrical as possible. Construction was carried out primarily between 1855-1861. The square was popular among merchants and restaurant and cafe owners due to its proximity to the station. One house on the corner of Rue d'Arlon was at one time the home of Auguste Beernaert, Prime Minister of Belgium from 1884-1894.
The station was the central feature of the square for much of its existence. However, with the construction of the Espace Leopold
(which now houses the Euroepan Parliament) starting in 1989 the character of the square changed significantly. Designs changed frequently, amidst much legal and political wrangling, but ultimately the tracks of the previously open air station were covered over by the flagstone mall that is now seen outside the parliament. The bulk of the station building itself was torn down in 2004, and rebuilt underground, leaving only the central entrance which now serves as an information office. By 2008 the European Parliament complex was complete.
Residents' associations and cultural heritage promoters have been critical of many aspects of the construction of the parliament and redesign of the train station. Some believe that the scale of the complex is simply too large for the area, and that efforts have not been adequate to integrate it with its largely neo-classical surroundings. While many have praised the originality and professionalism of the design of the buildings, the design has also faced criticism for being too large, cold, and remote.
Directly behind the statue on the eastern side of the square is the square's principle structure. The former entrance to Quarter Leopold Station (now the subterranean Brussels-Luxembourg Station
with its entrance moved east) is a listed building and was taken over by the European Parliament
and Belgian authorities as a joint information office and museum. It now houses the "infopoint" of Parliament.
The building forms part of Parliament's Espace Léopold
(the complex of Parliamentary buildings in Brussels) along with two new buildings either side which border the square. The whole complex of Parliamentary buildings dominate the eastern view of the square, with the dome of Parliament's Paul-Henri Spaak building mirroring the clock
at the top of the station facade
- creating a popular shot
of Parliament from the square. Openings each side of the old station building lead directly to the Esplanade of the European Parliament
, the pedestrian mall running the length of Parliament.
, Luxembourg square would become one of three main pedestrian squares, each focusing on a different theme. Due to Luxembourg's proximity to the Parliament, Luxembourg Square would focus on citizens. Also planned is the potential clearing of space between Rue d’Arlon/Aarlenstraat and Rue de Trêves/Trierstraat for a new square, possibly as a long extension of Luxembourg Square creating a vast boulevard like public space. The Brussels transportation authority, STIB has provisional plans to build a metro
extension with a stop on the square at the Gare de Luxembourg. In 2011 plans were announced in partnership between the municipality of Ixelles and the EP to try to reduce the "mess" left by revellers on busy nights, which the local authority deemed to be "totally unacceptable."
Map of the square
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) or Luxemburgplein (Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) is a square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
in the European Quarter
Brussels and the European Union
Brussels is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter...
of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
).
Design
The square consists largely of restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and bars which dominate the wide pavements
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
, with some bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s and other retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
services, serving the employees
European Civil Service
The European Civil Service is the civil service serving the institutions of the European Union, of which the largest employer is the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union...
and members
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
of the neighbouring European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
as well as the other European Institutions
Institutions of the European Union
The European Union is governed by seven institutions. Article 13 of Treaty on European Union lists them in the following order: the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European...
and associated organisations which are mostly located close-by.
In the centre of the square is a statue of John Cockerill, a prominent British-Belgian 19th century industrialist
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
, which is a copy of the statue outside Seraing
Seraing
Seraing is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liege. The municipality of Seraing includes the old communes of Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, and Ougrée. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle it forms the greater Liège agglomeration...
town hall in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. The figure of Cockerill is leaning against an anvil
Anvil
An anvil is a basic tool, a block with a hard surface on which another object is struck. The inertia of the anvil allows the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece. In most cases the anvil is used as a forging tool...
and surrounded by an industrial figures from period: a glassmaker, a mechanic, a puddler
Puddling (metallurgy)
Puddling was an Industrial Revolution means of making iron and steel. In the original puddling technique, molten iron in a reverberatory furnace was stirred with rods, which were consumed in the process...
and a miner. Cockerill's motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
, Work and Intelligence, are engraved upon the statue.
History
The Place de Luxembourg was a central feature of the Leopold QuarterLeopold Quarter
The Leopold Quarter is a quarter of Brussels, Belgium. Today the term is sometimes confused with European Quarter, as the area has come to be dominated by the institutions of the European Union and organisations dealing with them, although the two terms are not in fact the same, with the Leopold...
, an area developed in the first few decades after the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
, and the most prestigious residential area in the capital for the bulk of the 19th century. The district had been designed in the 1830s, but the original design did not include provisions for a train station. When the new "Gare du Quartier Leopold
Brussels-Luxembourg Station
Brussels-Luxembourg railway station is a station in the European Quarter of Brussels under the Esplanade of the European Parliament .-History:...
" station was built in 1854, architect Antoine Trappeniers was commissioned to draw up plans for a large public square leading to the station building. Rue de Luxembourg was then in an embryonic state, and the square was created as its end point. The square was designed in a neo-classical style. It was designed to be as symmetrical as possible. Construction was carried out primarily between 1855-1861. The square was popular among merchants and restaurant and cafe owners due to its proximity to the station. One house on the corner of Rue d'Arlon was at one time the home of Auguste Beernaert, Prime Minister of Belgium from 1884-1894.
The station was the central feature of the square for much of its existence. However, with the construction of the Espace Leopold
Espace Léopold
The Espace Léopold or is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels housing the European Parliament, a legislative chamber of the European Union ....
(which now houses the Euroepan Parliament) starting in 1989 the character of the square changed significantly. Designs changed frequently, amidst much legal and political wrangling, but ultimately the tracks of the previously open air station were covered over by the flagstone mall that is now seen outside the parliament. The bulk of the station building itself was torn down in 2004, and rebuilt underground, leaving only the central entrance which now serves as an information office. By 2008 the European Parliament complex was complete.
Residents' associations and cultural heritage promoters have been critical of many aspects of the construction of the parliament and redesign of the train station. Some believe that the scale of the complex is simply too large for the area, and that efforts have not been adequate to integrate it with its largely neo-classical surroundings. While many have praised the originality and professionalism of the design of the buildings, the design has also faced criticism for being too large, cold, and remote.
Area
Brussels-Luxembourg Station
Brussels-Luxembourg railway station is a station in the European Quarter of Brussels under the Esplanade of the European Parliament .-History:...
with its entrance moved east) is a listed building and was taken over by the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
and Belgian authorities as a joint information office and museum. It now houses the "infopoint" of Parliament.
The building forms part of Parliament's Espace Léopold
Espace Léopold
The Espace Léopold or is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels housing the European Parliament, a legislative chamber of the European Union ....
(the complex of Parliamentary buildings in Brussels) along with two new buildings either side which border the square. The whole complex of Parliamentary buildings dominate the eastern view of the square, with the dome of Parliament's Paul-Henri Spaak building mirroring the clock
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
at the top of the station facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
- creating a popular shot
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
of Parliament from the square. Openings each side of the old station building lead directly to the Esplanade of the European Parliament
Esplanade of the European Parliament
The Esplanade of the European Parliament, or simply the mall, is a pedestrian mall in Brussels , completed in 2002.-Position:...
, the pedestrian mall running the length of Parliament.
Future
In plans to rebuild parts of the Brussels European QuarterBrussels and the European Union
Brussels is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter...
, Luxembourg square would become one of three main pedestrian squares, each focusing on a different theme. Due to Luxembourg's proximity to the Parliament, Luxembourg Square would focus on citizens. Also planned is the potential clearing of space between Rue d’Arlon/Aarlenstraat and Rue de Trêves/Trierstraat for a new square, possibly as a long extension of Luxembourg Square creating a vast boulevard like public space. The Brussels transportation authority, STIB has provisional plans to build a metro
Brussels Metro
The Brussels Metro is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It consists of a network with four metro line services with some shared sections. The metro has 49.9 km of network and 59 stations...
extension with a stop on the square at the Gare de Luxembourg. In 2011 plans were announced in partnership between the municipality of Ixelles and the EP to try to reduce the "mess" left by revellers on busy nights, which the local authority deemed to be "totally unacceptable."
Map of the square
| AXA AXA AXA S.A. is a French global insurance group headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. AXA is a conglomerate of independently run businesses, operated according to the laws and regulations of many different countries. The AXA group of companies engage in life, health and other forms of... |
~Rue d'Arlon | Fortis Fortis (finance) Fortis N.V./S.A. was a company active in insurance, banking and investment management. In 2007 it was the 20th largest business in the world by revenue but after encountering severe problems in the financial crisis of 2008, most of the company was sold in parts, with only insurance activities... |
Ralph's Bar | Le Pullman | The Grapevine | Coco | Quarter Leopold | Le London | Fabian O'Farrel's | ~Rue de Treves | EP European Parliament The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world... |
| Tout Bon | |||||||||||
| ~Rue Luxembourg | |||||||||||
| ING ING Group The ING Group is a global financial institution offering retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance services. ING is the Dutch member of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European banks... |
|||||||||||
| Shop'n go | |||||||||||
| Marie Haps | Swiss representation | Ketje | Fat Boy's | The Beer Factory | |||||||
See also
- Brussels and the European UnionBrussels and the European UnionBrussels is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter...
(details on the quarter) - Leopold QuarterLeopold QuarterThe Leopold Quarter is a quarter of Brussels, Belgium. Today the term is sometimes confused with European Quarter, as the area has come to be dominated by the institutions of the European Union and organisations dealing with them, although the two terms are not in fact the same, with the Leopold...
(a more historic area in which the square resides) - Brussels-Luxembourg StationBrussels-Luxembourg StationBrussels-Luxembourg railway station is a station in the European Quarter of Brussels under the Esplanade of the European Parliament .-History:...
- Espace LéopoldEspace LéopoldThe Espace Léopold or is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels housing the European Parliament, a legislative chamber of the European Union ....
(European Parliament in Brussels)