Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park), Brussels

Brussels Park, often still called the Royal Park, is the largest urban public park in Brussels, spanning over 13 hectares. The city’s first public park is bordered by major streets and the Belgian House of Parliament. The park is landscaped with plane, chestnut, maple, beech, and trellised lime trees and has a central pond linked by avenues that provide views toward the city's key landmarks such as the Palace of Justice and the Royal Palace.

The park's origins trace back to the former Palace of Coudenberg's gardens, used since the Middle Ages as hunting grounds by the Dukes of Brabant. Under the reign of Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria, the governor of the Austrian Netherlands, the area was adorned with water basins, fountains, imitation rock caves, and numerous statues, making it one of Europe's most beautiful parks. Between 1776 and 1783, it was redesigned in a neoclassical style, featuring a complete overhaul with the felling and replanting of thousands of trees.

Throughout its history, Brussels Park has witnessed significant events, from destruction during the French Revolution to serving as a refuge during the Belgian Revolution. The year 1830 marked a pivotal moment in history when the park saw a major confrontation between revolutionary forces and the Dutch army which ultimately led to Belgian independence from the Netherlands. The revolutionaries emerged victorious, and on September 27, 1830, the nation of Belgium was born.

Inside the park, there are several significant cultural structures like the Royal Park Theatre and Vauxhall of Brussels. The former, established in 1782 at the park's northern end, initially served as a literary hub and a venue for diverse performances, including ballets and operas. After a fire in 1998, it underwent renovations, in the year 2000, to enhance its classical theatre focus. Adjacent to it, the Vauxhall, constructed in the 1780s, has been a prestigious site for concerts and social gatherings. It was revitalized in 1913, featuring distinctive green trelliswork. Nearby, the Vauxhall bandstand, redesigned in 1913 in a neo-Moorish style, briefly hosted summer concerts. The park's primary bandstand, built in 1841, as well as two historic water basins adorned with fountains and busts of Hermes, further exemplify the blend of artistic and natural beauty.

Brussels Park also features around sixty sculptures, mostly Greco-Roman mythological figures. Originally sourced from the Castle of Tervuren's park, these statues bore the brunt of wars, vandalism, and pollution, leading to most of them being replaced by replicas.