Royal Park
Where locals chill and culture happens, just steps from the crowds – come for lunch, stay for the DJs.
Sitting between the Royal Palace and the Belgian Parliament, the Royal Park is where monarchs and ministers basically share a garden. This 18th-century green space has leafy paths, ornate fountains – and a bizarre story about a Russian emperor who had too much to drink.
The Tsar and the fountain
In 1717, Tsar Peter the Great of Russia visited Brussels and – after one too many drinks – ended up throwing up right into one of the fountains. That very basin still exists today. You’ll find it in one of the park’s two sunken pits near the Royal Palace. Stand with your back to the palace, and head to the pit on the right. The basin sits there, alongside a bronze statue of the Tsar himself.
The Latin text on the basin tells the whole story (with way more elegance than we just did): “Pierre Alexiowitz, Tsar of Moscow, Grand Duke, seated at the edge of this fountain, ennobled its waters with the wine he had drunk on April 16, 1717, at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.”
Meet the neighbors
The real stars? The guild houses, each one bursting with drama and history. After the devastating French bombing in 1695, the guilds rebuilt them bigger and fancier than ever, because Brussels knows how to bounce back. Here are three that tell fascinating tales.
The She-Wolf
Once the archers’ guild house. Keep an eye out for Romulus and Remus under the she-wolf, plus a golden phoenix rising – showing off Brussels’ comeback spirit.
The Swan
Originally the butchers’ guild house, later a café where Karl Marx partied and penned parts of his Communist Manifesto.
The Pigeon
The painters’ old guild house that later hosted Victor Hugo during his exile from France. Apparently, nothing inspires great writing like a room with a view of the Grand Place.
The great pointing game
Tell your friends or family to spot the statues pointing fingers at each other on the guild houses. Local legend says it’s all about a scandalous pregnancy and the age-old question: “Who’s the father?” Is it true? Probably not. But who cares—it’s Brussels at its quirkiest.
Insider tip
Come twice: once to catch all the details in daylight, then again after dark. With the floodlights on, the square glows like it’s lit from within—fewer crowds, more magic.
