Palace of Coudenberg, Brussels

[CyrilVladisla]

For almost 700 years the Castle and then the Palace of Coudenberg were the seat of government of the counts, dukes, archdukes, kings, emperors, and governors who from the 11th century until its destruction in 1731 exerted their sovereignty over the area of the Duchy of Brabant.

With the second enclosure of the city of Coudenburg, following the occupation by Louis II of Flanders in 1356, the castle was gradually converted from a military stronghold into a residential palace.

Philip the Good (Philip III, the Duke of Burgundy), 1396-1467, built new wings for the palace.
He built the Aula Magna. The Aula Magna was a gigantic room for royal receptions.

It was in the Aula Magna that the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V abdicated in 1555 in favor of his son. His son was Philip II of Spain.

[cdm]

The remains of the Coudenberg Palace are worth a visit!
They are situated under the Rue Royale and Place Royale next to the current Royal Palace of Brussels.
Coudenberg, Former Palace of Brussels - Archaeological site and museum ? Presentation

[CyrilVladisla]

Cdm, Thank you for the nice information.
The remains of Coudenberg Palace are historically noteworthy.

[CyrilVladisla]

Palace of Coudenberg in 3D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX1NJh3_cso

[An Ard Ri]

The Palace of Coudenberg/Paleis op de Koudenberg before the fire of 1731

[Blog Real]

History of the palace:
https://coudenberg.brussels/en/histo...-of-the-palace

[Tarlita]

If this magnificent palace had survived I could easily see the European Union of today using it as their headquarters.

[maria-olivia]

I guided the Palace what is seen is the level -2 ...
There are remains of the Palace of Coudenberg under the actual Royal Place and its Garden !

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Tarlita

If this magnificent palace had survived I could easily see the European Union of today using it as their headquarters.

The fire which destroyed it also countless pieces of art and documents.

Here's another painting from 1726 of castle and gardens.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

I guided the Palace what is seen is the level -2 ...
There are remains of the Palace of Coudenberg under the actual Royal Place and its Garden !

I did that as well, the basements that lead from Belvue to the Koudenberg. The royal palace is standing on what once was the Koudenberg palace.

A pity the palace burned down though it is of course an open question if the place would not have been demolished by an emperor, governor or king, as happened with the castle of Tervuren, which was demolished on the orders of Joseph II. The nearby Nassau palace was also demolished and replaced by Charles of Lorraine -brother-in-law of Empress Marie-Thérèse & governor of the Southern Netherlands- and his palace (now part of the museum area).

[maria-olivia]

And When Leopold Ier became King He had no Palace !. Quicky they put two big houses together with a Galery. ...

[Duc_et_Pair]

What is seen as Palace on the Coudenberg is often confused: it actually were three magnificent residences: the palace of the Dukes of Brabant, the palace of the Dukes of Aerschot and the palace of the Princes of Nassau, but these buildings were enlarged, and enlarged, seemingly without a coherent plan and became one big amorph collection of buildings.

The façade on this picture shows the palace of the Dukes of Brabant named Coninx Hoff (King's Court, the Duke was King Philip II of Spain).

The building on the right is named Hoff van Naſſau (Court of Nassau). This building separates the two inner courtyards of the palaces of Brabant and of Nassau.

When Willem I of Nassau, Prince of Orange was declared an outlaw by King Philip II of Spain (Duke of Brabant) all his properties were confisquated. His magnificent renaissance palace at the most prominent place of Brussels (being neighbours with the Duke of Brabant) was stolen, looted and incorporated into what was later seen as Palace on the Coudenberg. No one else than "the Iron Duke" (the Duke of Alba) took residence in the Nassau palace.

[maria-olivia]

The Coudenberg Palace one Palace and not 3 !)was build on the Mont Froid , such as we have Galgenberg, Koekelberg etc.. It was build for Philippe Duke of Bourgogne , the greatest of our Dukes as he created the Order of the Golden Fleece. They build a large Aula Magna for the Duke stayed in Brussels and not at Dijon.
We have the rue Isabelle , our Governess , daughter of King Philippe II of Spain , Son of Emperor Charles Quint , She used every day this road to go to the Collegiale Saint Michel et Gudule to pray to have a Child.

The Hotel de Nasau is not next to the Coudenberg , when it was destroyed the Queen of the Netherlands asked to keep the Chapel because her Ancestor Willem van Oranje prayed there.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

And When Leopold Ier became King He had no Palace !. Quicky they put two big houses together with a Galery. ...

Where did king Leopold I reside?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Where did king Leopold I reside?

In the present Royal Palace. It was brand new: build in order of King Willem I of the Netherlands (including now Belgium), Grand-Duke of Luxembourg and ready in 1829. Only one year later the Southern Netherlands separated and so the new King lost a new building with brand new interiors and inventories. The State of Belgium confiscated the building "in name of the Nation".

That palace was drastically changed under Leopold II. The current exterior and the lay-out was finished in the last quarter of the 19th C. The same happened with the brand new city palace of the Prince of Orange, finished in 1828. Only two years later, after the separation, also this palace was confiscated "in name of the Nation". (Parts of the interior were returned to the Orange-Nassaus in later decades).

[An Ard Ri]

Many thanks I can see how vastly it has changed from this 1830 painting

Le Palais du Roi à Bruxelles.