History of the Halle Gate

The imposing Halle Gate has dominated the city of Brussels since the 14th century. Today, this last remaining vestige of the second city wall serves as a museum, but it has fulfilled many functions over the centuries. And enduring the ravages of time has not always been easy. The first city walls were built in the 13th century but the city was growing so fast that they were removed, and new ones were built one century later. These walls were eight kilometers long and served a defensive purpose but also reinforced the image of the powerful, wealthy Brussels.

A multi-functional past

The Halle Gate was one of the seven gateways to the fortified city and served to control the access of people and goods. In the 16th and 17th centuries, new siege weapons and techniques, including the advent of artillery, forced the city to modernise the defences in order to keep potential attackers at a safe distance from the walls, including the addition of ditches, bastions and ravelins. Barely a century later, however, the wall lost its military use, after which the gates fell into disuse. The ramparts were demolished piece by piece, but since the building still held other functions, it was spared the same fate.

Among other things, the Halle Gate had an economic function. The city used it to check imports and exports in order to collect taxes. In addition, the gate was successively used as a granary, place of worship and home for the homeless. However, what made it survive the 18th century is the fact that it also served as a prison. From the 17th century, prisoners of war were incarcerated there. Later, criminals and political prisoners were added. The Halle Gate continued to fulfill its prison function until the prisoners were transferred to a new prison at the beginning of the 19th century. Unfortunately, this once again raised the issue of demolishing the gate.

The final rescue

Under Dutch rule, the Halle Gate was repurposed as a national archive, which ensured that it was once again saved from demolition. However, the Belgian revolution threw a spanner in the works, abandoning the Dutch project and once again questioning its existence . More and more petitions surfaced in which residents of the city and of Saint-Gilles demanded its demolition. On 5 July 1832, fate seemed settled: the city announces the public sale of the Halle Gate requiring the buyer to demolish it.

Fortunately, salvation came once again, this time from the Belgian State authorities. The public sale was postponed and the Belgian State asked the Royal Commission for Monuments for advice in the conservation of the building. The Commission took a clear position and advocated the preservation of the Halle Gate due to its exceptional historical value. The final verdict followed in 1840: a Royal Decree banned the demolition of the Halle Gate. On 30 December 1842, the gate was officially transferred to the Belgian state for the sum of 165,000 francs.

The Halle Gate as a museum

In the mid-19th century, architect Tieleman Franciscus Suys was commissioned by the Belgian State to carry out the necessary renovation work on the gate. His task was to transform the building into a contemporary museum. On 25 March 1847, the Halle Gate officially became the Royal Museum of Armour, Antiquities and Ethnology. Soon, additional modifications were imposing themselves. Indeed, the building's outdated layout meant it was not easily accessible to visitors. It was finally thanks to Hendrik Beyaert that the gate was given its final form on 30 April 1860.

Visit the Halle Gate today and you will enter a modern world. A museum trail with various historical objects and artefacts recounts the time when Brussels was a fortified city. From the rampart walk, you can enjoy a breathtaking 360° view of the city and its surroundings.