Palais de Justice: Brussels' Colossal Palace of Law

The Palais de Justice is one of the most audacious feats of 19th-century civic architecture in the world. Commissioned by King Leopold II and designed by architect Joseph Poelaert, it was inaugurated in 1883 after two decades of construction — four years after Poelaert himself had died. Covering roughly 26,000 square metres and dominating Brussels' Upper City skyline from its perch on the former Gallows Hill in the Saint-Gilles district, the building surpasses even St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in total footprint. Its style defies easy classification: Poelaert blended neoclassicism with historicist references to Assyrian and Babylonian monumental architecture, producing a structure that contemporaries and critics have never quite agreed on how to describe. A massive grey stone facade of towering columns rises to a gilded dome visible from across the city, making it one of Brussels' most unmistakable landmarks.

The building's construction came at an enormous human cost. To clear the site, roughly 3,000 homes in the working-class Marolles-Sablon neighbourhood were demolished, forcibly displacing thousands of residents. The fury of the displaced Marolles community was such that on the day the palace opened to the public they staged a protest, defiling the building in open defiance. Their resentment was so deep that the word for "architect" entered local Bruxellois slang as a term of abuse — "schieven architek" (twisted architect) — a phrase still used in the neighbourhood today. The building cost the equivalent of roughly $300 million in modern terms, making it one of the most expensive public buildings of its era. It has served ever since as the seat of Belgium's Court of Cassation and Court of Appeal, meaning it remains a functioning judicial institution, not merely a historic monument.

Visitors approaching from the Marolles below can take a glass elevator — accessed via a pedestrian bridge — that ascends directly to the esplanade in front of the palace, bridging the dramatic vertical drop between the working-class lower city and the institutional upper city. This juxtaposition is itself a piece of living urban history. From the esplanade, the panoramic view over Brussels is among the finest in the city, stretching across the rooftops toward the Atomium and beyond on clear days. The interior, when accessible, reveals grand ceremonial halls, vast marble corridors, and courtrooms that convey the full weight of 19th-century state power.

The Palais de Justice has been under scaffolding for restoration work for decades — so long that the scaffolding itself has become something of an unofficial symbol of Brussels, affectionately and sardonically known to locals as a permanent fixture. Check current access conditions before visiting, as portions of the exterior may be obscured. The building is located on Place Poelaert, a short walk from the Louise tram stop on lines 92 and 93. Entry to the public areas is free, and the esplanade is open daily. Early morning visits reward with the best light on the dome and fewer crowds.