The Brussels Town Hall, or Hôtel de Ville, stands in the infamous Grand-Place, in Brussels, Belgium. The eldest part of the Town Hall, was constructed under Jacob van Thienen, and commenced in 1402. This wing boasts the belfry, or bell, tower, that stands approximately 315 feet tall and was constructed in the Gothic style that was so popular in the 15th century. The archangel Michael, who is the patron saint of Brussels, stands guard atop the tower spire, slaying a dragon.

Legend has it, one of the Town Hall's architects, leapt from the tower upon realizing that the front archway and the main building facade were off-center. However, considering the gaps in construction and change of direction in architecture, the lack of symmetry was an expected and accepted consequence.


Much of the interior of the Town Hall was destroyed during an attack on Brussels in 1695 by a French army under the guidance of the Duke of Villeroi. While the exterior remained mostly intact, many artifacts and archives were lost forever.

The Grand Place and Town Hall, were named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998, solidifying Brussels and Belgium as a major historical hot-spot. To learn more about the Town Hall and Grand-Place in Brussels, Belgium, visit Tourcaster.