Point of interest
Mont des Arts
in Brussels, Belgium
The "hill of the arts" pairs a geometric garden with views over the old town and sits between the Royal Library and the major museums.
Where it is
On the rise between the Royal Quarter (Place Royale) and the lower old town around the Grand-Place.
Address: Royal Quarter, 1000 Brussels
What it is
The terraced garden with lawns, flowerbeds and fountains offers one of the city's finest views, all the way to the Town Hall tower on the Grand-Place. It is ringed by major cultural institutions - the Royal Library, BOZAR and museums - and the freely accessible square is a popular meeting point.
History
The site stems from an urban-renewal project under King Leopold II, with a first version inaugurated in 1910. It was redesigned between 1956 and 1969, including the geometric garden by landscape architect René Pechère laid out over the Albertine underground car park.