Grand-Place

In the 10th century Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine, built a fort on Saint-Géry Island in the River Senne, the origin of Brussels. By the end of the 11th century an open-air market had grown up on a drained marsh nearby, and a document of 1174 mentions this lower market. From the 14th century, as merchants and craftsmen rose in importance, the city raised buildings around the square to match its new status.

The Town Hall went up in stages between 1401 and 1455 on the south side, its spire, some 96 m high, topped by Saint Michael slaying a demon. Opposite, between 1504 and 1536, the Duke of Brabant built a house for his administration, called the King's House once the duke had also become King of Spain. On 13 August 1695, during the Nine Years' War, a French army of 70,000 under Marshal Villeroy began bombarding Brussels, and within three days most of the square was destroyed; the Town Hall, the main target, kept its stone shell and tower.

The guilds and other owners rebuilt the houses within four years to plans approved by the city, producing a harmonious square despite its mix of Gothic, Baroque and Louis XIV styles. The guilds were abolished in 1795 under French rule, and in the late 19th century Mayor Charles Buls had the buildings restored. The square served as a market until 1959, was closed to traffic in 1990 and was inscribed in 1998.