Brussels Town Hall in the context of "Classicism"

The Grand-Place (French, pronounced [ɡʁɑ̃ plas]; "Grand Square"; also used in English) or Grote Markt (Dutch, pronounced [ˌɣroːtə ˈmɑr(ə)kt] ; "Big Market") is the central square of Brussels, Belgium. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices; the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building, containing the Brussels City Museum. The square measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 361 ft) and is entirely paved.

The Grand-Place's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 17th. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, most of the square was destroyed during the bombardment of Brussels by French troops. Only the Town Hall's façade and tower, which served as a target for the artillery, as well as some stone walls, resisted the incendiary balls. The houses that surrounded the Grand-Place were rebuilt during subsequent years, giving the square its current appearance, though they were frequently modified in the following centuries. From the mid-19th century, the square's heritage value was rediscovered, and it was thoroughly renovated.

The Brussels City Museum (French: Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles [myze də la vil də bʁysɛl]; Dutch: Museum van de Stad Brussel [myˈzeːjʏɱ vɑn də stɑd ˈbrʏsəl]) is a municipal museum on the Grand-Place/Grote Markt of Brussels, Belgium. Conceived in 1860 and inaugurated in 1887, it is dedicated to the history and folklore of the City of Brussels from its foundation into modern times, which it presents through paintings, sculptures, tapestries, engravings, photos and models, including a notable scale-representation of the town during the Middle Ages.

The museum is situated on the north side of the square, opposite Brussels' Town Hall, in the Maison du Roi ("King's House") or Broodhuis ("Bread House" or "Bread Hall"). This building, erected between 1504 and 1536, was rebuilt in the 19th century in its current neo-Gothic style by the architect Victor Jamaer [fr]. Since 1998, is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the square. It can be accessed from the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse - Grand-Place/Beurs - Grote Markt (on lines 4 and 10), as well as the bus stop Grand-Place/Grote Markt (on lines 33, 48 and 95).

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels (French: Académie royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles [akademi ʁwajal de boz‿aʁ də bʁysɛl] (ArBA-EsA); Dutch: Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Brussel [ˈkoːnɪŋkləkə ˌaːkaːˈdeːmi voːr ˈsxoːnə ˈkʏnstə(ɱ) vɑm ˈbrʏsəl]) is an art school in Brussels, Belgium, founded in 1711. Starting from modest beginnings in a single room in Brussels' Town Hall, it has since 1876 been operating from a former convent and orphanage in the Rue du Midi/Zuidstraat, which was converted by the architect Victor Jamaer [fr]. The school has played an important role in training leading local artists.