Congress Column - Brussels, Belgium
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N 50° 51.007 E 004° 21.814
31U E 595987 N 5634043
The Congress Column (French: Colonne du Congrès; Dutch: Congreskolom) is a monumental column situated on the Place du Congrès / Congresplein in Brussels.
Waymark Code: WMP6PB
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Date Posted: 07/10/2015
Views: 14
The Congress Column commemorates the creation of the Belgian state and constitution by the National Congress between 1830-1831. It was erected on the initiative of Charles Rogier, according to a design by Joseph Poelaert, between 1850 and 1859 and was inspired by Trajan's Column in Rome. It was restored from 2002 to 2008.
The column, with the statue of King Leopold I of the Belgians surmounting it included, has a total height of 47 metres (154 ft). A spiral staircase of 193 stairs in the interior of the column leads to a platform surrounding the pedestal of the statue of Leopold I.
The statue of Leopold was made by Guillaume Geefs. The important dates in the struggle for Belgian independence are engraved on the pedestal of the column, together with the names of the members of the National Congress and the Provisional Government and important passages from the liberal Belgian constitution of 1832. The four sitting statues surrounding the pedestal represent the major constitutional liberties; the 'Liberty of Union' by Charles Fraikin, the 'Liberty of Worship' by Eugène Simonis, the 'Liberty of Press' and the 'Liberty of Education' both by Joseph Geefs. Two monumental bronze lions by Eugène Simonis are placed in front of the monument.
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