Marollen

Marollen
The Cité Hellemans in the Marolles.

Marolles (French) or Marollen (Dutch) is an ancient district of Brussels, situated between the Law Courts of Brussels (Palace of Justice) and the Brussels-South railway station.[1] In the heart of Marollen can be found the Église de la Chapelle/Kapellekerk and the Place du Jeu de balle/Vossenplein. Major arteries of the neighborhood include the rue Haute/Hoogstraat, the rue Blaesstraat and the rue des Tanneurs/Huidevetterstraat. Inhabitants of the district are called Marolliens. The dialect known as Marols (marollien) was spoken in this area.

Contents

Pronunciation

History

Sketch of the district of Marollen in 1939 by Léon van Dievoet.

The area now occupied by the Marollen lay, during the Middle Ages, in the first circumvallation of the city of Brussels. Lepers were exiled to this area, and they were cared for by the nuns of Maria Colentes (Marikollen). The toponym Marollen was derived from this religious group. The Marollen became a working class neighbourhood in succeeding centuries.

Inception

Old postcard. Notice the lower dome.

In 1860, during the reign of Léopold I, a Royal decree announced the building of the Palace of Justice and an international architecture contest was organised for its design. The designs entered in the contest were found to be unacceptable and were thus rejected. The then minister of justice Tesch appointed Joseph Poelaert to design the building in 1861. The first stone was laid on October 31, 1866, and the building was inaugurated on October 15, 1883, after Poelaert's death.

For the building of the Palace of Justice, a section of the Marollen neighbourhood was demolished, while most of the park belonging to the House of Mérode was also expropriated. The landlords belonging to the nobility and the high bourgeoisie of Brussels received large indemnities, while the inhabitants were forced to move by the Belgian government, though they were compensated with houses in the garden city "Tillens-Roosendael" (French: cité-jardin Tillens-Roosendael) in the district of Uccle, in the "Quartier du Chat".[2].

We remember here that Poelaert himself was residing in the heart of the Marolles rue des Minimes in a house adjoining his vast offices and workshops and communicating with them[3].

As a result of the forced relocation of so many people, the word architect became one of the most serious insults in Brussels.[4] The Palace's location is on the Galgenberg hill, where in the Middle Ages convicted criminals were hanged.[4]

The 2006 Brussels riots began in this area.

Notes

  1. ^ Marollen in Brussel
  2. ^ Louis Quiévreux, Bruxelles, notre capitale: histoire, folklore, archéologie, 1951, p. 257: "Ceux qui lui donnèrent ce sobriquet, ce furent les expulsés de la «partie» des Marolles démolie afin que puisse être érigé le colosse de la place Louise. La rue des Sabots, celle de l’Artifice et d’autres encore étant condamnées, on transplanta leurs habitants dans un quartier riant et campagnard; celui du Chat, à Uccle, à la limite de Forest.
  3. ^ Poelaert et son temps, Bruxelles, (catalogue exposition), 1980, p. 166: "Il habitait une maison rue des Minimes, voisine de ses bureaux et qui communiquait avec ceux-ci"
  4. ^ a b (French) "Palais de Justice". Belgian federal building registry. September 29, 2009. http://www.buildingsagency.be/realisatieberichten_fr.cfm?key=39. Retrieved August 12, 2009. 

External links

Coordinates: 50°50′13″N 4°20′46″E / 50.837°N 4.346°E / 50.837; 4.346



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Marollen —    See Marolles …   Historical Dictionary of Brussels

  • Marolles/Marollen —    The Marolles is the city district most identified with the working class. Located between porte de Hal, the church of Notre Dame de la Chapelle, and the Palais de Justice, the name derives from the convent of the Apostolines of the Community… …   Historical Dictionary of Brussels

  • Marols — For the town in France, see Marols, Loire. Sketch of the district of Marollen in 1939 by Léon van Dievoet. Marols or Marollien (also known as Brusselse Sproek, brusseler, brusseleir, brusselair or bruss …   Wikipedia

  • Marolles (Bruxelles) — 50° 50′ 13″ N 4° 20′ 46″ E / 50.837, 4.346 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Мароллы — Улица в Мароллах Мароллы фр. Les Marolles, нидерл.  …   Википедия

  • Syldavia — (Cyrillic: Зылдaвыa) is a fictional Balkan kingdom featured in The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé.OverviewSyldavia is a monarchy, ruled at the time of the King Ottokar s Sceptre story by King Muskar XII. The capital is Klow, formerly Zileheroum,… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Belgium-related articles — Articles (arranged alphabetically) related to Belgium include: NOTOC 0–91920 Summer Olympics – 2007 Belgian government formationAAalst Aalter Aartselaar African rap in Belgium Albert I of Belgium Albert II of Belgium Alken Alveringem Anderlecht… …   Wikipedia

  • Law Courts of Brussels — infobox building building name = Law Courts of Brussels native building name= Palais de justice de Bruxelles fr icon Justitiepaleis van Brussel nl icon caption = Main façade being renovated former names = map type = building type = architectural… …   Wikipedia

  • Joseph Poelaert — Infobox Architect name=Joseph Poelaert nationality=Belgian birth date=21 March 1817 birth place=Brussels, Belgium death date=3 November 1879 death place=Brussels, Belgium practice name= significant buildings=Law Courts of Brussels *Congress… …   Wikipedia

  • 2006 Brussels riots — Between the 23rd and 29th September 2006, youths of mainly immigrant descent rioted in Brussels, causing the destruction of several shop windows and the burning of ten cars and part of a hospital. The immediate cause of the riots was anger at the …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”