Point of interest
Place du Grand Sablon
in Brussels, Belgium
This chic square in the antiques quarter is famed for its weekend antiques market, art galleries and some of the city's finest chocolatiers.
Where it is
In the genteel Sablon district on the heights between the Royal Quarter and the old town, just above the Marolles.
Address: Place du Grand Sablon - Grote Zavel, 1000 Brussels
What it is
Today the square is the hub of the antiques and art trade, with galleries and a weekend antiques market. Renowned chocolatiers such as Wittamer and Pierre Marcolini, along with terrace cafés, make it an elegant place to browse.
History
The name "Sablon" recalls the sandy marshland that once lay here. The adjoining late-Gothic church of Notre-Dame du Sablon grew from a Crossbowmen's Guild chapel of 1304 and was enlarged in the 15th century thanks to the many pilgrims it attracted.