Borsa di Bruxelles
بروكسل
The Brussels Stock Exchange is a large 19th-century building on the pedestrian boulevard in the centre. With its columns and statues, it looks like a temple devoted to work and commerce.
A temple of business
The building was designed by the architect Léon Suys. Its style mixes the Italian Renaissance with the French Second Empire style. Shares in Belgian companies were bought and sold here. The Brussels Stock Exchange had existed since 1801, but it had never had such a big home.
A river under the boulevard
The building is part of a large 19th-century project. The river that once flowed here was dirty and unhealthy, and it often flooded houses. So it was covered over with brick vaults. On top, wide straight boulevards appeared, like the one in front of you, with elegant buildings and new shops.
A museum of sculptures
There are dozens of statues on the façade, on the roofs and along the sides. They represent commerce, industry and art. Many sculptors worked on them, and some later became very famous. On the pediment, the big pointed gable above the columns, Belgium sits between two figures: Industry and Navigation.
A new life
The building has been restored. The wide boulevard in front has become pedestrian: today people stroll here and sit on the steps.
