Boulevard Anspach: Then and now

Last weekend, on 4 and 5 October, the Boulevard Anspach closed its lanes to cars between Place de Brouckère and the Brussels Stock Exchange, giving Brussels residents a glimpse of the future, when the avenue and many of the surrounding streets will be pedestrians-only.

After years of argument, protest and consideration, in early 2014, Brussels’ city government agreed (finally, some would say) on plans to redevelop much of the city centre, including severely limiting traffic in the area. One of the biggest projects will be converting the Boulevard Anspach from a four-laned, traffic-jammed main thoroughfare into a bucolic stretch of pedestrian green space.

Much of the talk around the renovations have revolved around a narrative of returning the boulevard back to how it was in its “glory days”. But what was the Boulevard when in these glory days?

Let’s take a look at how the new blueprints match up to the original plans for boulevard.

History steeped in controversy

Boulevard Anspach has some 150 years of history that has shaped and defined the look and feel of the main thoroughfares of Brussels. However, the original idea behind the street was something of a Band-Aid: trying to improve public health and curb outbreaks of cholera and other diseases in an ever-swelling population, Brussels decided that it would build a series of avenues to cover a two-kilometre stretch of the river Senne.

In 1865, former Brussels mayor Jules Anspach – oft called the Haussman of Brussels, referring to Georges-Eugène Haussmann who was responsible for building the grand boulevards of Paris at the bidding of Napoleon III – appointed architect Léon-Pierre Suys to oversee the project of covering the river. Part of Suys’ goal was to design several wide boulevards that would attract middle and upper classes to live and bring business to the city centre.

The project was met with enormous resistance, as the Belgian government expropriated large amounts of privately owned land from mostly working-class citizens under the then-legal claim that it was for the “greater good” of the population. Many claimed that this was a thinly veiled excuse for the government to then turned around a try to sell those appropriated lands at large profits after the renovations.

Other opponents to the projects were divers, from the displaced landless poor, to engineers claiming Suys’ plans were unreasonable, and even unsafe given Brussels’ specific geology, to taxpayers complaining about the high taxes rises the project precipitated.

Further controversy arose when the private British company that the government-wary liberal Mayor Anspach hired to carry out construction was caught embezzling 2.5 million francs. The works were then handed over to the city of Brussels, Anspach almost lost his job and project suffered severe delays.

Nevertheless, by 1873, the covering had been completed and the newly built boulevard – then called Central Boulevard – already boasted many of its contemporary architectural gems, including the neo-classical monolith of the long-defunct Brussels Stock Exchange (also designed by Suys).

Slowly, up until the end of the 19th century, the quarter transformed, from working and lower class neighbourhoods to an upper class haven living behind the delicate and intricate façades we still see today.

Anspach of the future

Fast-forwarding 100 years, the area around the Boulevard Anspach is again in a period of transformation. Thanks in large part to the internal combustion engine, what was built to be an majestic thoroughfare for the upper classes to access and enjoy city life has become a cramped and chaotic vein of stop-and-go honking through Brussels’ attractive tourist centre.

After years of pushing from public and private sectors, which would both benefit from a more tourist-friendly city centre, Brussels has finally released official plans to redesign the Boulevard Anspach and make it a car-free avenue.

The plans reveal that from Fontainas to the Brouckère, cars will be prohibited, sidewalks broaden and space created for the public to mingle amongst native plants and park benches.

Place de Brouckère is planned to become a large open green space, with trees, benches and, of course, terraces. It will also be used as a public meeting space, capable of holding large public events, from rallies to picnics.

Moving up towards the Brussels Stock Exchange, the Place de la Bouse/Beursplain will become a square where the city’s many cultural and performance centres, such as the Monnaie/Munt opera house and concert venue Ancienne Belgique, can give open-air performances and hold events. The Stock Exchange building itself will become the Belgian Beer Temple, set to be the ultimate interactive museum on Belgian brewing and beer culture.

Finally, working one’s way over to Place Fontainas, you will find more green space and a small park.

Alongside the changes to the Boulevard Anspach, the city will also make several other improvements, including the creation of a cycling network, more public car parks, and – one very welcome addition – more public urinals and toilets.

Work is intended to start at the beginning of 2016 with the goal to finish all renovations by the end of 2017. In order to get the opinions of the public, the city of Brussels invites residents to attend a meeting to discuss the renovation plans on 13 and 14 October.

Photo credit © Beliris - SUM