Grand-Place of Brussels
Brussels , Belgium
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Grand Place – Brussels
La Grand Place as viewed on this web camera is an architectural jewel that has developed through many centuries. The first record of La Grand Place online dates back to the 12th century. This iconic gathering place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And no wonder, it is truly magnificent to behold, even on the webcam in Brussels. La Grand Place portrays a mix of architectural and artistic styles and highlights the eclectic mix of cultures in Brussels.
The square you see in live footage was originally used as a market place, from there its Dutch name – Grote Markt. Traders of all kinds would gather to exchange goods. All the streets around the square are named after goods that was sold in previous eras. Market stands were eventually replaced by the beautiful buildings that surrounds the square today and that is shown on web camera online.
The square in the live stream is surrounded by buildings dating back to the 14th century. The major building of interest is the Town Hall. The Town Hall or Hotel de Ville is a masterpiece of Brabantine and Gothic architecture. It is the oldest building in the square online. Its tower is 96 meters tall and a statue of the archangel Michael is visible on top of the tower. Inside the Town Hall the ceiling is decorated with numerous chandeliers. Besides the Town Hall, there are also over 40 guild halls and other beautiful buildings that can be viewed on this cam online footage.
La Grand Place showed online is also home to the annual flower festival – the Flower Carpet – where a stunning carpet is created using over 700 000 begonias. This is a much better use of the lovely town square than its purpose in the 16th and 17th centuries. In these eras, the square was used for public executions and other atrocities.
In August in 1695, Le Grand Place in the webcam was bombarded by the French military during the League of Augsbourg War. The bombardment targeted the Town Hall, but luckily its façade was not destroyed. The same cannot be said for many of the houses surrounding the square. Shortly after the bombardment, the houses were reconstructed by the various guilds. It is these reconstructed buildings that can be seen on online web cameras today.
In Christmas time, a huge Christmas tree is constructed in La Grande Place online which can be viewed on footage from live cameras. The Christmas tree creates a festive atmosphere in the square. All year round, the ambience in the square is jovial with many pedestrians milling around that can be viewed on camera online. By day tourist and school groups fill the square and at night it is a popular place for social gatherings. With so many people coming and going, La Grand Place is truly the heart of Brussels.
Watch other nice live stream from Belgium – Knokke-Heist beach. As also, Baltic Live Cam has many online cams scattered across the globe. Many beautiful old town squares such as the Riga Cathedral Square in Latvia and the Vilnius Cathedral Square in Lithuania are captured on live webcam online.
The whether forecast for 7 days is available on our web site online.
