The Royal Park of Brussels: the green crossroads of power
From ducal hunting grounds to public park
The Royal Park of Brussels is the oldest park in Brussels and the city's first public park, where Brussels residents have been able to walk and relax freely since the 18th century. Originally, it was a hunting ground for dukes and nobility, complete with vineyards, fishing ponds, a maze, a tournament field, and a jeu de paume court. Water features were added later. The park thus illustrates the transition from a private royal domain to a green, public space where city dwellers could enjoy peace, nature, and fresh air in the heart of the city.
A setting for power and relaxation
After the fire at the Coudenberg Palace in 1731, the area was redesigned as a symmetrical park, inspired by French garden design. Wide avenues, long sightlines, and carefully placed statues turned the Warande Park into an elegant promenade for the Brussels elite. The park became a place to stroll, see and be seen, while also forming a green link between the palace, the city and the emerging middle-class neighborhoods. In addition, the Warande Park is surrounded by authority, with the Royal Palace, the workplace of King Philippe, on one side and the Federal Parliament directly opposite. As a result, the park is literally located between the seats of the monarch and the state.
This green lung in the city has always been a center of culture and entertainment. In the Royal Park Theater, visitors could attend children's performances, circus acts, variety theater, comic operas, and operettas. The Vauxhall offered space for dancing, drinks, and entertainment, and the kiosk hosted summer balls and open-air concerts. During this tour, you will discover how the park has been a meeting place for centuries, where power, culture, and pleasure come together.
Good to know
This city walk takes place in an urban and park environment where obstacles such as cobblestones, narrow sidewalks, and level differences cannot always be avoided. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
This walk takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. Want
to see more, discover more, hear more stories? Extend your walk by an extra hour and experience what others miss!
This walk is a linear walk with a different end point. Don't want to walk back to the starting point? No problem: there is always a public transport stop nearby. At the start, you can agree on the end point with the guide.
Reservation and guide fee. We are exempt from VAT.
