7. Palais de Justice, Brussels - 10 Sept 1900 | Glass Plates
Captured on the 10th of September 1900, glass plate 7 depicts the intimidating edifice of the Palais de Justice, Brussels; and make no mistake about this, the Palace of Justice was built with intimidation in mind.
In 1853, the recently independent Belgian government were dispensing their newfound justice from an increasingly dilapidated courthouse. They had gained independence two decades earlier, and decided it was time to start planning an appropriately stately home for Belgian justice. As such, the government opened an international competition for conceptual designs for such a structure, but unfortunately none of the entries were deemed suitable; therefore, an alternative solution had to be found.
This alternative came from Paris-trained Belgian architect, Joseph Poelaert.
Poelaert’s vision for the Palais de Justice was an architectural statement to the dominance of Law and Order over the masses. The construction, taking place between 1866 and 1883, was situated in the working-class district of Marolles. Already a densely populated area of the capital, hundreds of inhabitants had to be displaced – sometimes forcibly by the police – to make space for this monumental 2.6 hect-acre courthouse.
Built in a neo-Baroque style, Poelaert eclectically borrowed from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Indian designs. It contained twenty-seven large courtrooms and two-hundred and forty-five smaller ones, making the Palais de Justice the largest building constructed in the entirety of the 19th century. David Watkin, in his History of Western Architecture (2003), describes it as ‘a masterly statement of the aesthetic of the Sublime, it is without parallel in European architecture’.
The architect, Poelaert, committed his will and determination entirely to the project. Considered controversial and difficult to work with, he was often demanding that builders complete near impossible tasks – and complete the impossible on schedule. Poelaert did not see the completion of his grand work, dying in an asylum on the 3rd of November 1879, four years before the Palace’s inauguration. It is said that the stroke that placed him in the asylum was caused by exhaustion from directing this vast project, and that he survived mostly on a mere four hours of sleep a day throughout the decade-and-a-half of construction.
To honour Poelaert, the city named the square outside the front of the Palais de Justice the Poelaertplein. However, in the cultural memory of the locals he is memorialised by the derogative nickname of the skieven architek (meaning the “twisted architect” in the Marollien dialect) due to the social upheaval his construction caused.
Scaffolding, Rust, and Falling Masonry: The Palais de Justice Today
For the people of Brussels today, the view shown in the photo will likely be perceived as lacking a vital addition as, for nearly forty years, the great edifice of the Palais de Justice has been covered by scaffolding. The pioneering iron frame of the structure has rusted, the ground beneath is subsiding, and water leaks are causing undignified collapses in the courtrooms. In fact, the scaffolding – raised in 1984 when it was first recognised that the building was in urgent need of restoration – itself has had to be renewed.
Moreover, as reported in The Brussels Times in May 2022, around one-sixth of the bricks need to be replaced. This has caused further complications and delays because, as the Palais de Justice is a scheduled monument, the new bricks must not only come from the same quarry as the original, but the same stone vein.
It is hoped that the exterior scaffolding can be removed some time in 2025, and the full renovation be completed by 2030, when the Belgian state will celebrate two hundred years of existence. If the celebrations are forced to take place in the lattice work shadow of scaffolding – their historic monument to Law crumbling beneath its supports – Belgium’s bicentenary might symbolically, or at least aesthetically, be marred by the Palais de Justice. However, if they achieve this restoration on time, there will be a sense of renewal surrounding this impressive structure, serving as a focal point and enduring symbol of justice for future generations.
Further into Brussels
With its view of the Palais de Justice, glass plate 7 is a study of architectural dominance. The next glass plate, however, is a more social, street-level scene of the people of Brussels.
I hope you will join me on a stroll through the city over the coming weeks.
References
Watkin, David, A History of Western Architecture (London: Laurence King Publishing, 2005), p. 506
‘Brussels' Palais de Justice will finally get a facelift after 40 years trapped behind scaffolding’ by Katy Dartford, Euro News (3rd April 2021) <https://www.euronews.com/2021/04/03/brussels-palais-de-justice-will-finally-get-a-facelift-after-40-years-trapped-behind-scaff>
‘Brussels Justice Palace renovation delayed again as 15% of bricks must be replaced’ by Maïthé Chini, The Brussels Times (2nd May 2022) <https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/220827/brussels-justice-palace-renovation-facing-more-delays-as-15-of-bricks-must-be-replaced>
‘Brussels Palace of Justice’, World Monuments Fund (August 2017) <https://www.wmf.org/project/brussels-palace-justice>
‘Law Courts of Brussels’, Visit Brussels <https://visit.brussels/en/place/Le-Palais-de-Justice-de-Bruxelles>
‘Palais de Justice: Historic Building in Royal Quarter’, Lonely Planet <https://www.lonelyplanet.com/belgium/brussels/attractions/palais-de-justice/a/poi-sig/404770/358708>
1900 Glass Plates: This project explores a series of glass plates from the year 1900 with the eventual goal of travelling the same route as the photographer. It will be a varied journey that will stretch from simple blog posts examining each photo to videos and more. This project is in collaboration with photographer Aleksandar Nenad Zecevic, who’ll be restoring the photographs to bring out details dimmed by time. More to follow.
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