Wanloria › Destinations › Saint-Gilles - Sint-Gillis › Parc du Cinquantenaire
Parc du Cinquantenaire
The park was laid out in 1880 on a former military parade ground in Etterbeek to celebrate fifty years of Belgian independence. Its central feature is the triple arcade, whose final design was signed by Charles Girault and which opened in 1905, after Gédéon Bordiau, author of the palace project in 1888, died. Three arches of equal size form the monument, crowned by a bronze quadriga representing Brabant raising a flag; the other eight provinces appear at the foot of the columns. The grounds also include the Pavilion of Human Passions, a work by Victor Horta from 1899, which houses Jef Lambeaux's relief of 1886, and the monument to the Belgian pioneers in the Congo, by Thomas Vinçotte (1921). The Grand Mosque building, from 1897, previously housed the Cairo Panorama and became a mosque in the late 1970s. The museums in the side pavilions have their own entries.
Add it to your trip on Wanloria →Things to do at Parc du Cinquantenaire: 4 missions
- Look at the bronze quadriga atop the arcadeStand in front of the triple arcade and find the bronze chariot representing Brabant with a flag. At the foot of the columns, look for the figures of the other eight provinces.
- Find Horta's Pavilion of Human PassionsLook inside the park for this 1899 pavilion designed by Victor Horta and look at its façade, designed to house Jef Lambeaux's relief.
- See the Great Mosque building from outsideGo up to the 1897 building that housed the Panorama of Cairo and is now the Great Mosque and Islamic Centre; walk around the outside.
- Find the monument to the Belgian pioneers in the CongoFind the 1921 monument by Thomas Vinçotte and walk around it to see its sculptural groups.
Near Parc du Cinquantenaire
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit Parc du Cinquantenaire?
Visiting Parc du Cinquantenaire is free.
How much time do you need for Parc du Cinquantenaire?
Allow about 1 h 30 min for the visit.