La Louve facade detail

©Analia Glogowski/Lonely Planet

La Louve

Brussels


The archers' guildhall features a golden phoenix rising from the ashes, which signifies the rebirth of the Grand Place after its bombardment by the French in 1695. It also has a relief depicting Romulus and Remus, hence its name.


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Nearby Brussels attractions

1. Le Cornet

The boatmen's guildhall, fittingly, has a stern-shaped gable. Its name refers to the horn on its facade.

2. Le Sac

Perhaps as you'd expect, the cabinet-makers' guildhall is incredibly ornate. It takes its name from the sign above the door.

3. Le Renard

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The haberdashers' guildhall has a statue of a fox above the door.

4. La Brouette

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The grease-makers' guildhall has faint gold wheelbarrows above the door. The statue of St-Gilles (the grease-makers' patron) was added in 1912.

5. Maison des Boulangers

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The bakers' guildhall is now the cafe Le Roy d’Espagne. The gilded bronze bust above the door is bakers’ patron St-Aubert.

6. Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat

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Exhibits at Brussels’ museum of cocoa and chocolate give you a quick rundown of chocolate’s history in Europe, along with chocolate’s anti-aging and…

7. Grand Place

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Brussels’ magnificent Grand Place is one of the world’s most unforgettable urban ensembles. Oddly hidden, the enclosed cobblestone square is only revealed…

8. Maison du Roi

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This fanciful feast of neo-Gothic arches, verdigris statues and mini-spires is bigger, darker and nearly 200 years younger than the surrounding guildhalls…