Guilds of Brussels

Each of the guild houses on the Grand-Place has more to offer than just lovely decorated facades. They’re all classified as historic monuments as a whole—but know that each one has its very own set of fascinating stories. If you’re not too sure what a guild house is, here’s a quick explanation: it’s a building that hosts an association for people of the same profession. Take number 1, for example, on the corner of Butter Street across the square—it’s the Bakers’ Guild House, built in 1696 and reconstructed in the early 20th century. You’ll notice it’s decorated with busts representing the King of Spain. That might seem odd in Belgium, but from 1556 to 1713, this region was part of the Spanish Netherlands, governed by the Habsburgs, of which Brussels was already the capital at the time. At number 4, you’ll find the Cabinetmakers’ Guild, and if you look closely, you’ll spot their tools carved into the facade. Number 6 belonged to the Boatmen’s Guild—which you can easily guess when seeing the gable that resembles the stern of a ship. The list goes on! Right in front of you stands the House of the Swan, where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels hosted Communist League meetings. Just beside, there’s the House of the Golden Tree, also known as the Brewers’ House. It once belonged to the tanners’ guild, then the tapestry makers’, and finally the brewers’. Today, you can head down into the cellar to visit the Belgian Brewers’ Museum and learn more about the centuries-old expertise behind Belgium’s world-famous beer!