Saturday, October 27, 2018

Petit Sablon in Brussels

The Petit Sablon square in Brussels, charming public park created by the architect Henri Beyaert around 1880, is circled by 48 bronze statues illustrating the various 'corporations' or 'professions' of Brussels at that era. Each has his own distinct piedestal, and a delicate iron gate is joining all of them.


The painter - Photo Alain Michot

Inside the park, in addition to a basin with waterfall, you can admire larger statues of key Dutch Renaissance characters such as Mercator, surrounding the Egmont and Hornes counts. All these were sculpted by the most famous Belgian sculptors of the 19 century, like Jef Lambeaux, and was inaugurated by the same mayor we talked in the last post, Charles Buls.


Mercator, Dutch geograph - Photo Magie des Jardins

The knife maker



The Counts of Egmont and Hornes

Part of the 220 meters intricate grids and iron gates.



The knife maker

The glove maker - Photo Alain Michot

The fat seller - Photo Alain Michot

The watchmaker & jeweller - Photo Alain Michot

Salted fish seller - Photo Alaib Michot

The architect Henri Beyaert - Photo Alain Michot




Sources

More photos of the iron gate and grids
Detailed description of each sculpture (in French)
History of the park with old pictures and the detailed restauration