S ituated in the Royal Quarter, the Palais Royal is not the first palace to occupy this space. This is where the Couldenberg Palace was during the reign of the Dukes of Brabant. That building was destroyed in a fire in 1731. The current palace is an amalgam of several different buildings brought together over time. Originally, the palace was two buildings, but this proved cumbersome for the family, especially in bad weather. William the first of the Netherlands had the adjoining structure erected from 1827 to 1829. It was further enlarged in 1904 at the behest of King Leopold II. This expansion was designed by Maquet in the Louis XIV style. The sculpture on the pediment is by Thomas Vinçotte. While this is the official home of the Belgian royal family, they do not actually live here anymore. It is only used for state functions, but there is a ceremonial changing of the guard every day. In this photo, you can see the Belgian flag flying, which signifies that a member of the royal family is present.
