The Egmont Palace, Brussels

[Marengo]

Here some pictures of Egmont Palace (ANP). Any idea who owns this place?

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

the Egmont palace has been property of the Belgian state since 1914 and is mainly used for diplomatic purposes.

[Marengo]

From this wikipedia site:

[QUOTE]
The Egmont Palace (Dutch: Egmontpaleis, French: Palais d'Egmont) is a large mansion at the Wolstraat / Rue aux Laines and the Kleine Zavel / Petit Sablon in Brussels, Belgium. It is being used by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It was built between 1548 and 1560 by Françoise of Luxembourg and her son, Lamoral, Count of Egmont, first in Flemish Gothic style, later Renaissance. During the 18th century, building continued in classical style, while the property passed onto the Arenberg family. The plans for this stage are attributed to the early advocate of neoclassicism, Giovanni Niccolo Servandoni. After a fire demolished the oldest part of the building in 1891, it was reconstructed in a uniform classical style.
After the first World War the owner, the German Arenberg family, was forced to sell the building to the city of Brussels. In 1964 it was sold to the Belgian state.
Today, it is being used for receptions and meetings by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1977, the Egmont pact on the Belgian state reform was signed in the Egmont Palace by the government Tindemans II.[/QUOTE]

[Marengo]

An old picture, copyrights expired:

[Yekaterina]

is it possible to visit the palace inside?

[Comte de Hainaut]

Originally Posted by Yekaterina

is it possible to visit the palace inside?

Good morning Yekatarina,

Sadly the Palace is nearly never open for the visit (perhaps once a year for the Journée du Patrimoine). You'll have to wait an invitation for a party given by the Minister of the Foreign Affair if you want to visit the palace or if you want to organise a ball for the 18th birthday of your daughter you may also rent a few rooms there.

Have a good day !

[Tsarevitch]

The first Egmont for which this palace was build (Lamoral Count of Egmont, Prince of Gavere 1522-1568) is a known figure in the Low Countries.

The Count of Egmont formed a sort of triumvirate, together with William of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1533-1584) and Philippe de Montmorency, Count of Horn (1524-1568), leading the rebellion against the King of Spain (whom also ruled the Netherlands). These three belonged to the most powerful and wealthy nobles in the Low Countries.

The sentence "Den Coninck van Hispaengien heb ick altijt gheeert" in the 1st stanza of the Dutch national hymn ( "To the King of Spain I have granted a lifelong loyalty" ) refers to the initial loyalty of these three leading figures of the Dutch Revolt to the King of Spain.

The three leaders had to pay a high prize. The Counts of Egmont and Horne were beheaded (1568) and the Prince of Orange was assassinated in order of the King (1584). Still today a great statute close to the Grand Place in Brussels commemorates the beheading of the two Counts.

[CyrilVladisla]

After the First World War, why were the owners of the Egmont Palace, the Arenberg family, forced to sell the palace to the city of Brussels?

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

After the First World War, why were the owners of the Egmont Palace, the Arenberg family, forced to sell the palace to the city of Brussels?

You can read more below

Egmont Palace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arenberg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CyrilVladisla]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

You can read more below

Egmont Palace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arenberg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was informative to learn that although the Duchy of Arenberg was in Germany, from the 1600s on, the principal lands of the Dukes of Arenberg have been in Belgium.

[CyrilVladisla]

A statue in the interior of Egmont Palace
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archaeo..._d/45204954412