The City of Brussels has applied for a permit for the reconstruction of the Freedom Square. With this project, the City wants to restore the heritage on the square and take the necessary measures to preserve the trees on the square. The public inquiry will run from April 26 to May 25.
Freedom Square is the heart of the Our Lady of Ter Snow district. In the center of the square is a statue of Charles Rogier, a leader at the time of the Belgian Revolution in 1830 and later twice Prime Minister of Belgium. The square is protected, as are the facades around it.
In 1978, the City of Brussels decided to plant trees on the square, but they did not take into account the growth potential of those trees. As a result, the tree roots push the paving stones and embroider upwards, which impedes the accessibility of the square. In order to preserve the trees and to give the roots the necessary space, it was therefore decided to raise the area around the trees and lay it in dolomite.
Heritage Elements
Attention is also paid to the heritage elements on the square. The central green zone around the statue of Charles Rogier will be restored and replanted. The original decorative fences around the lawn are currently in the depot of the City. They are too damaged to replace but are duplicated exactly and placed again around the lawn. ​
The rest of the square will be laid out at the same level, including the part of the Congresstraat along the square. Four new trees will be planted on both sides of the Congresstraat. The parking spaces around the square will be scrapped and replaced by loading and unloading zones for the many catering establishments on the square. 31 bicycle staples will also be placed around the square.
“Combining heritage preservation with contemporary urban needs such as accessibility and greening is always a challenge,” says competent alderman Ans Persoons (one.brussels – Vooruit). “The trees on the square are not part of the original design, but undeniably create enormous added value in front of the square. We are therefore pleased to propose a design that restores the value of the historical elements of the square, while at the same time including the necessary interventions to allow the trees to flourish.”
This article is originally published on bruzz.be
