Created in 1801 by decree of Napoleon, the Stock Exchange (French: Bourse de Commerce) established in Brussels successively occupied different premises.[2] From 1858, a time when it experienced considerable development following the country's economic and industrial growth, the cramped and unsanitary conditions of the various premises led the business community to demand, from the municipal authorities, the erection of a new stock exchange.[3]
The Brussels Stock Exchange building in 1873, shortly after completion
Following the covering of the river Senne for health and aesthetic reasons between 1867 and 1871, a massive programme of beautification of Brussels' city centre was undertaken. Having become a priority in the list of works of public utility, this undertaking gave rise, at the time, to numerous proposals including that of the architect Léon-Pierre Suys which, as part of his proposal to construct a series of grand boulevards in the river's place, designed a stock exchange building to become the centre of the rapidly expanding business sector.[3][4] Supported by several petitions, Suys' proposal won the support of the municipal council.[3]
Over the years, the Stock Exchange building underwent many renovations. Between 1930 and 1950, it was decided to increase the usable area and the incidence of light. On that occasion, a third floor was added and the central side walls on the Rue Henri Maus/Henri Mausstraat and the Rue de la Bourse/Beursstraat were opened up. The load-bearing parts of the building were also reinforced with reinforced concrete to support these renovations.
During the night from Thursday 29 to Friday 30 November 1990, a fire broke out in one of the stockbrokers' cabins on the ground floor of the building, causing a lot of damage.[9] As a result, the BSE risked losing its financial activities and its reason for existence. Though the building was neatly restored, automation and acquisitions were already bringing an end to old market practices. In July 1996, all market floor activities disappeared. That year, the cash market was fully digitalised and the daily meeting of stockbrokers and traders therefore became redundant.[10][11]
Mergers, relocation and current usage
View of the building from above during renovation
In 1999, a first merger took place with CIK and BELFOX (BELgian Futures and Options Exchange). On 22 September 2000, the BSE merged again with Paris Bourse and the Amsterdam Stock Exchange to form Euronext, the first pan-European exchange for equities and derivatives, with common trading and clearing of all products, and was renamed Euronext Brussels.[12][10] In 2015, this company moved away from the Stock Exchange building, which had become too large, after the lease was broken by the City of Brussels in 2012.[13][14]
The vacated space was then occasionally opened to house temporary exhibitions of the City of Brussels. In the meantime, a competition was held about repurposing the Stock Exchange building. Renovations started in 2020 and plans were made to reopen the building as a museum of Belgian beer.[15] The winning design by Robbrecht & Daem, Baneton-Garrino and Popoff provided new space in the top two floors for the museum. The roof was converted into a panoramic bar with terrace, covered by a brass awning.[16] After three years of renovations, the Belgian Beer World museum was opened in September 2023.[17]
Building
The former Brussels Stock Exchange building does not have a distinct name, though it is usually called the Palais de la Bourse in French or the Beurspaleis in Dutch (or simply Bourse/Beurs, respectively), meaning "Stock Exchange Palace". It is located on the Boulevard Anspach/Anspachlaan, and is the namesake of the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein, which is, after the Grand-Place/Grote Markt, the second most important square in Brussels.
Rear view of the building on the Rue du Midi/Zuidstraat
Towards the boulevard, the two allegorical lion sculptures by Jacquet on each side of the main entrance's monumental staircase (one with its head facing up, the other curved back) represent the two symbolic stock market trends (akin to the famous "bull and bear" metaphor), as well as the Belgian Nation. They are accompanied by a genius with a torch by the same sculptor.[3][19]
A large arched skylight was pierced through the centre of the side façades by the architect Jules Brunfaut in 1893 in order to bring more light into the interior.[18]
The interior, also inspired by Palladian plans, is a cruciform vessel supported by four monumental piers against which are attached Corinthian columns.[20][19] In the centre of the building, the main hall or salle des pas perdus (lit.'room of the lost steps'), around which rooms and vestibules are arranged, is topped by a dome with a finial rooflight.[19]
The inside pediment separating the main hall from the entrance vestibule on the Rue du Midi/Zuidstraat includes four caryatids by Rodin and Antoine van Rasbourg [nl], symbolising Protection, Trade, Art and Victory, with above them a globe carried by two putti.[21][19] The original light fixture supports were supplied at the time by the Compagnie des Bronzes de Bruxelles.[21]
Demey, Thierry (1990). Bruxelles, chronique d'une capitale en chantier (in French). Vol. I: Du voûtement de la Senne à la jonction Nord-Midi. Brussels: Paul Legrain/CFC. OCLC44643865.
Demey, Thierry (2013). Bruxelles, des remparts aux boulevards (in French). Brussels: Badeaux. ISBN978-2-930609-02-7.
Eggericx, Laure (1997). Les Boulevards du Centre. Bruxelles, ville d'Art et d'Histoire (in French). Vol. 20. Brussels: Centre d'information, de Documentation et d'Etude du Patrimoine.
Gérard, Hervé (2023). Bruxelles et ses places (in French). Brussels: 180° éditions. ISBN978-2-940721-32-0.
Buelens, Frans; De Smedt, Helma; Willems, Hans (2014). "The (De)regulation of the Brussels Stock Exchange around 1865–1875". Bankhistorisches Archiv (1–2): 3–22.
Poukens, Johan; Buelens, Frans (2022). "Stock exchange regulation and the official price lists of the stock exchanges of Brussels and Antwerp, 1801–1935". Financial History Review. 29: 1–16.
