On Monday afternoon, the Brussels City Council laid, on the cobblestones of the Rue des Harengs, one of the seven descriptive bronze logos anticipated to celebrate the twenty years of the Grand Place’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They will remain in position for 15 days. A series of events will be organised through this commemorative year.
The brushed bronze symbol measures around one meter in diameter. Geoffroy Coomans de Brachène, the Alderman for Urbanism and Heritage at Brussels City Council, explained, “These logos will enable both citizens and tourists to know that they have entered the UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
This symbol is used to identify property protected by the World Heritage Convention.
The symbol itself was designed 40 years ago, in 1978, by the Belgian artist Michel Olyff. It consists of a circle, which represents the world, and a square inside the logo, which symbolises the results of human competence and inspiration.
Els Ampe, the Alderwomen with responsibility for Public Works, indicated that the seven logos will be placed in the seven streets which feed into the Grand Place.
Amongst the events anticipated to mark this anniversary, in June there will be a replica of the statue of Saint Nicholas placed on the gable of the house 7 Grand Place. The original will move into Saint Nicholas Church in Brussels.
Moreover, the “T'Serclaes Monument - Restoration and Legends” collective work, managed by Paula Cordeiro, who runs the Grand Place for Brussels City Council, will leave the square on Wednesday. A symposium on the archaeological and historical research led in recent years at the Hôtel de Ville (Brussels City Hall) will be organised on April 26th.
The exhibition on the Grand Place’s 20 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site will open on 3 October, at the Maison du Roi. At this time, from 12 September, the authentic statue of Saint Michael, which has been kept within the Hôtel de Ville since 1995, will be moved to the Maison du Roi.
The Brussels Times
