The Royal Square and Coudenberg Palace

The Royal Square, surrounded by elegant mansions and the Church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg, was built during a major urban redesign in the 1770s. Hard to believe it now, but you’re actually standing on a hill that once overlooked one of the most important royal palaces in Europe: the Coudenberg Palace! Belonging to the Dukes of Brabant during the 12th and 13th centuries, it later became the palace of Philip the Good under the Dukes of Burgundy and, in the 16th century, the imperial residence of none other than Charles V. So how is it possible that none of that grandeur remains today? Well, it all went up in flames in 1731, when Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria—Charles VI’s sister and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands—reportedly fell asleep with candles still burning! Big mistake! It is said that because of royal protocol, no one dared enter her room when the fire broke out. Eventually, one brave grenadier kicked down the door and rescued her, but by then, the palace was lost. Since no one wanted to blame her, the official report claimed that the fire started in the kitchens. Classic royalty. Anyway, the ruined palace and neighbouring buildings were later demolished, the land was flattened, and this neoclassical square was built atop instead. However, the palace isn’t entirely gone—its ruins still exist underground and can be visited from the entrance of the Hotel Bellevue. It’s a fascinating trip back in time, where you can discover a hidden city beneath the city.