By Alaric 
Did you know that one of the most beautiful buildings you can visit in Brussels is a tourist hidden gem but also completely free?
It’s called the Palace of Justice Brussels or Palais de Justice and it is the largest judicial building of its kind in the world.
It’s also Belgium’s most important courthouse which is located near Brussels Midi Station.
Although it’s always covered in construction on the outside don’t be put off visiting as the interiors will leave you breathless.
You have to go through security checks but it’s well worth the effort as this marble temple is a labyrinth of dazzling architectural design.
Here is how to visit one of the best free things to do in Brussels, The Palais de Justice!
The History of the Brussels Palace of Justice
The Palace of Justice is built on Mont des Potences or Galgenberg Hill which translates to Gallows Hill.
In the Middle Ages, this is where condemned criminals in the city were taken to be executed.
There is a local legend that the famous Andreas Vesalius, the founder of modern human anatomy, used to search this hill after dark to steal corpses for his studies.
In 1860, Leopold I held a country-wide competition to design the new courthouse in Brussels.
Unfortunately, none of the designs submitted were good enough so they entrusted the design to the City of Brussels.
Joseph Poelaert wanted to capture the history of humanity in one colossal building and so the idea for The Palace of Justice was born.
Poelaert was granted a lot of creative and financial freedom with his design and was often ridiculed by the public gaining him the nickname of the ‘Skieven architek’.
Tragically, Poelaert would never see his enormous creation come to life as he succumbed to mental illness and died of exhaustion four years before it was finally finished.
However, his legacy was a colossal neoclassical building and, in the 19th century, was the largest building ever constructed.
The project took 17 years and cost well over 45 million Belgian Francs.
It was a monumental feat and a boast for the upper echelons of society but a severe blow for the lower and working classes.
A large part of the Marollen neighbourhood was forced out of their homes and relocated for the project which caused disgust and protest across the city.
Leopold II inaugurated the courthouse in 1883 but didn’t take much interest in it.
Many people called this Greco-Roman building an eyesore but others likened it to an ancient royal palace.
Victor Hugo famously coined the building The Great Inkwell.
In WWII before the Liberation of Brussels, German forces set fire to the courthouse. The central cupola collapsed and it took years to restore it.
Recent reconstruction works have been ongoing since 2003. It’s a bit of a local joke that the construction will never end.
But, it’s still the most important courthouse in all of Belgium and legal proceedings take place here every weekday.
How to visit the Palace of Justice Brussels
One of the best parts about the Brussels Palace of Justice is it’s completely FREE to visit.
It’s also a great way to escape the crowds as it’s a bit of a hidden gem for tourists.
You will find the Palace de Justice on Mont des Potences (Gallows Hill) within walking distance of Brussels Midi Station.
It’s also almost opposite Ascenseur des Marolles and a short walk from the Square of Petit Sablon and the Palais Royal de Bruxelles.
Brussels is easy to explore on foot but you can also use a wealth of public transport to arrive here. Just tap your contactless card on and off.
The nearest Underground station is Louise on lines 2 (orange) and 6 (blue). Or, you can use the tram to alight at the stops Petit Sablon or Stéphanie.
Just be aware that, although visiting is free, you will be security checked before going inside. More on this below…
Palais de Justice security checks
Like most judicial buildings around the world, you will be security checked to go inside.
You’ll have to place your bags on a security belt similar to an airport and remove all metal objects from your pockets like your phone, wallet, keys etc.
Surprisingly, I wasn’t pulled up on my tripods like I usually am and they weren’t confiscated from me.
But, I was pulled up on a ‘suspicious’ object in my bag that they were struggling to find.
They scanned my bags three times over and I was starting to panic I had something dodgy in my bag.
Eventually, they showed me a photo of the shape of what they were searching for on the X-ray.
It ended up being my Harry Potter makeup brush that was shaped like Voldemort’s wand (oops).
At least they had a good laugh about it when I showed them and they didn’t take it from me.
They obviously were quite confident that I wasn’t going to Avada Kedavra anyone haha.
Anyway, once I was cleared, I was free to explore this incredible building!
Phew… The bright side is at least you know they are extra vigilant so you’ll be safe inside.
Exploring The Palace of Justice
The one thing to know about this building is that it is humungous and much larger than St Peter’s Basilica in Rome
It’s over 40,000 square metres and has three floors. There are 250 rooms including 27 courtrooms.
It has a cupola of over 100 metres, masses of busts and statues and several monumental staircases to climb!
You could easily spend hours wandering around the building and admiring all the epic details.
Unfortunately, on my visit, the famous marble staircase was closed for construction (shock horror) but I still enjoyed wandering around and taking in all the highlights.
Once you go through security, you’ll walk up another colossal staircase with an archway and it feels like you’re walking up to an ancient temple.
You’ll then come out in the Salle des pas Perdus or the main hall which will take your breath away.
You can then look up to the central dome which seems to go on for miles.
If you head up the stairs to the first floor you can get an even better view. You can then circle the floor to see many of the statues and take in the architecture.
You’re pretty much free to wander around as you please but don’t go inside any of the rooms as there could be court cases taking place!
It’s also important to keep quiet as you’ll see lots of law students studying at the tables.
You feel obligated to keep your voice hushed anyway as the weight of this colossal building seems to demand it.
Photography rules
Out of all the court buildings I’ve visited over the years (and there have been a few now) the Brussels Palace of Justice was the most relaxed about photography and filming.
You’re allowed to take photos and videos of all the interiors of the building including the staircases and central hallway.
I was even allowed to use my tripod to take photos as well. Or, no one called me out on it anyway.
The architecture is unbelievable in size and grandeur and it was built in a neoclassical design with tall columns, portraits, busts and statues everywhere.
There are so many gorgeous angles here and you could honestly spend hours capturing everything.
One thing to remember is that this is a place of work and an important courthouse for legal proceedings.
So, don’t capture staff, students, lawyers, court attendees or cases in your photos.
Brussels Palace of Justice opening times
As the Palais de Justice is a government building, you can only visit from Mondays to Fridays and it is open from 8 am – 4 pm.
I would visit earlier rather than later to avoid it being overly busy. But, even when I went in around 10 am it was still pretty quiet.
It’s not a popular tourist attraction in Brussels by any means which makes it the perfect place to avoid the crowds!
Is Palais de Justice free?
Yes, it’s completely free to visit the Palace of Justice in Brussels.
After your security check at the entrance, you’re free to wander around the building and see all of the incredible architecture.
My top tips for visiting
- Remember this is a courthouse – this is a building of legal proceedings and not just a pretty Instagram location. So, make sure to remember where you are and don’t do anything that would be considered disrespectful while visiting.
- Prepare for security checks – you will be thoroughly checked before going inside. You don’t need ID but you will have your bags scanned.
- Don’t enter any of the rooms – Most of the rooms here are real courtrooms with actual cases going on inside. Don’t interrupt any legal proceedings.
- Prepare to get lost – this building is a labyrinth and it’s easy to get lost. There are signs to guide you but if in doubt ask someone!
Are you looking for more magical things to do in Brussels?
Brussels is an incredible city and there are plenty of things to do on a visit to the Capital of Belgium.
After you have visited the Palace of Justice, I would recommend walking over to the Square de Petit Sablon which is a pretty oasis.
Then, it’s easy to head to the Royal Palais de Bruxelles and The Parc de Bruxelles to see where the royal family lives.
Afterwards, you can head to the St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral and the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert.
There are great eateries here like Maison Dandoy where you can try some delectable Belgian or Liège Waffles.
Then you can visit the beating heart of Brussels which is the Grand Place or Grote Markt.
You’ll find a plethora of impressive gold-gilded buildings here along with the ornate Town Hall and Gothic King’s House.
You can then check out the adorable statue of Manneken Pis! This peeing boy statue is tiny but super popular and always draws a huge crowd.
He often gets dressed up for special occasions, and you can visit an entire museum dedicated to his various outfits over time.
I wouldn’t leave without sampling some Belgian Beer and I would recommend the Delirium Village for that.
Here, you can try their famous selection of (very strong) beers in the quirky Delirium Café.
Brussels also has some incredible parks and monuments to see like The Atomium which looks spectacular and twinkling at night.
You can also take a stroll through the Parc du Cinquantenaire and the Mont des Arts.
Honestly, there are so many things to do in Brussels you’ll struggle to fit everything in!
Read more travel guides for Belgium
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Save Palace of Justice Brussels for later!
