3/5 Oxalis T. 2 years ago on Google
What
today
is
a
pentagon-shaped
ring
road
surrounding
Brussels
city
centre,
was
once
a
defensive
wall
complete
with
moat
and
seven
gates
into
the
city.
One
of
these
gates
was
the
Porte
de
Hal.
The
wall
was
demolished
in
the
early
part
of
the
19th
century.
Only
the
Porte
de
Hal
was
left
standing,
as
it
served
as
a
prison
at
the
time.
Later
it
became
a
museum.
Around
1870,
the
building
received
a
complete
make-over
by
the
Belgian
architect
Henri
Beyaert.
He
added
an
extra
storey
with
a
new
roof
and
a
tower
housing
a
majestic,
stone
staircase.
The
Porte
de
Hal
is
still
a
museum,
where
nowadays
you
can
learn
about
the
old
city
fortifications
or
the
once
very
powerful
Brussels
guilds.
While
these
are
interesting
themes,
you
get
a
more
comprehensive
history
of
Brussels
(and
better
value
for
money!)
in
the
Musée
de
la
Ville
at
the
Grand-Place.
On
the
top
floor
you
have
access
out
onto
a
walkway
around
the
roof
but,
due
to
the
location
and
nearby
high
buildings,
the
view
over
the
city
is
rather
limited
and
not
at
all
panoramic.
Signage,
information
panels
etc.
in
French
and
Dutch
only.
Audioguide
available.
There
is
a
lift
in
the
building.
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