![]() In the 10th century, Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine, constructed a fort on Saint-Géry Island, the furthest inland point at which the river Senne was still navigable. Nicholas and the Town Hall ( Hôtel de Ville). The Bread House ( Marché au pain) lies along the Causeway ( Steenwegh) near the Church of St. Schematic map of medieval Brussels north is roughly below. ![]() In the Brabantian dialect of Brussels (known as Brusselian, and also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien), the Grand-Place is called Gruute Met. This outdated French spelling is a grammatical exception place being feminine, the modern French form would be Grande Place. The historical spellings Grand'Place (with an apostrophe) in French and Groote Markt (with a double 'o') in Dutch are outdated, but are also still in use in certain sources, such as on wall plaques giving the name of the square. Nowadays, the names Grand-Place (with a hyphen) in French and Grote Markt (with one 'o') in Dutch are most commonly seen. It also housed the largest marketplace in the city (hence its official names Grote Markt or Groote Markt, pronounced ( listen) literally meaning "Big Market", in Dutch). ![]() The Grand-Place of Brussels is the location of the city's Town Hall, and thus its political centre. Originally, the main square was the geographical centre of the towns and cities in these regions (for example the Grand-Place of Mons, Tournai, Arras, or Lille ). The toponyms Grand-Place or Grand'Place ( French, pronounced "Grand Square" also used in English ) are generic names designating a central town square, namely in Belgium and Northern France. Two of the official names of the square in French and Dutch This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand-Place/ Grote Markt (on line 95). It is also a centre of annual celebrations during the Christmas and New Year period, and a Christmas tree has been erected annually on the square since the mid-20th century. The square frequently hosts festive and cultural events, among them, in August of every even year, the installation of an immense flower carpet in its centre. It is also considered one of the world's most beautiful squares, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Nowadays, the Grand-Place is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. From the mid-19th century, the square's heritage value was rediscovered, and it was thoroughly renovated. ![]() The houses that surrounded the Grand-Place were rebuilt during subsequent years, giving the square its current appearance, though they were frequently modified in the following centuries. Only the facade and the tower of the Town Hall, which served as a target for the artillery, and some stone walls resisted the incendiary balls. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, most of the square was destroyed during the bombardment of Brussels by French troops. The Grand-Place's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 17th. The square measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 361 ft) and is entirely paved. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building, containing the Brussels City Museum. The Grand-Place ( French, pronounced "Grand Square" also used in English ) or Grote Markt ( Dutch, pronounced ( listen) "Big Market") is the central square of Brussels, Belgium.
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