| Full text |
134 Route 10. BRUSSELS. Lower Town:
the monument of the Spindla family, by P. D. Plumier, and five landscape
paintings by J. dArthois and L. Achtschellinck. On the pillar is a modern
memorial-tablet to Frans Anneessens (p. 128).
The Ruz Havre, or Hoocstraat, which runs hence to the S. to
the Porte de Hal, and the Ruz Buazs (Pl. O, 5, 6; electric tramway,
p- 93), which intersects the Place du Jeu-de-Balle (pedlars’ market),
pass through the so-called Quartier des Marolles, inhabited by a
mixed population of Flemings and Walloons.
The Porte de Hal (Pl. C, 6), in the middle of the boulevards
at the S. extremity of the inner town, is the sole remnant of the town-
wall of the 14th cent. (p. 98). It was erected in 1381, and two cen-
turies later became the Bastille of Alva during the Belgian ‘reign of
terror’. It is a huge square structure with three vaulted chambers,
one above the other, anda projecting tower. The interior, skilfully
adapted for this purpose by H. Beyaert in 1869-70, contains the
Musée Royal d’Armes et d’Armures, founded in 1835. Some of
the contents date from the old royal armoury, which, however, was
forced during the Spanish period to part with many treasures to the
Armeria at Madrid, while the greater part of the remainder was
taken to Vienna on the retirement of the Austrians in 1794, The
present collection has been largely formed by gifts from the Belgian
nobility and others, supplemented by judicious purchases. Ad-
mission, see p. 96. Illustrated catalogue (1902), 5 fr.; short catalogue
(4908), 1/2 fr. Director, E. de Prelle de la Nieppe.
On the Grounp Foor are old cannon, from the 15th cent. onward,
including (No. 8) ‘The Formidable’, of Napoleon I's period, and (No. 1)
a field-piece of the 15th century. Also, instruments of torture, etc.
On the Firsr Froor are weapons and armour of the Medieval and
Renaissance periods. Amongst the numerous suits of armour (mainly of
German workmanship) may be mentioned: to the left, by the 2nd pillar
(Series II, No. 2), Gothic suit-of-mail of the 45th cent.: by the 4st pillar (1,
AQ), Heavy tilting-armour (ce. 1500), weighing 100lbs.; by the last pillar
(I, 4), one of the fluted suits of Milanese workmanship introduced by
Emp. Maximilian; to the right, in front of the first pillar (11, 44), suit-
of-mail of the end of the 16th cent., perhaps belonging to Philip IL,
and (II, 80), horseman’s armour with large flowers on a black ground,
also dating from the latter half of the 16th century. By the right wall,
in the middle (to the left of a door originally in the Fishmongers’ Guild-
House), Italian shirt-of-mail (II, 24; c. 1600) and (II, 62) cuirassier’s suit
from the Thirty Years’ War. — At the sides of the entrance are the stuffed
hides of the horses ridden by the Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella
On their entry into Brussels in 1599; also portions of the harness. — In the
left aisle are cutting and stabbing weapons. ist Central Case: . Sword
of the 14-15th cent.; V, 53. Spanish Sword, V, 51. Left-handed Spanish duel-
ling-sword, both of the 16-17th cent.; iron apron. On the left wall, daggers
and hunting knives. 2nd Central Case: Prehistoric. Greek, Etruscan, and
Frankish weapons. By the fire-place: V, 124-139. Two-handed broadswords.
3rd Central Case: Swords and parts of swords, the oldest (V, 1) dating
from the 8th cent., others from the 44th (V, 8) and 17th cent. (V, 8.
Venetian ‘schiayona’); two-handed Walloon daggers (V, 104, 105, 106, 114).
Window-recesses : ist & 2nd window, parade swords and heading swords;
3rd window, maces (45-16th cent.) and, on the right, spurs and bits; 4th
window, helmets and gauntlets. — 5th (central) window, shirt-of-mail of
the 15th cent., made of velvet lined with chain-mail as a protection against |
