Ever wondered about a square straddling two worlds? Place Wappers does just that. This Brussels square sits on the border of Brussels-ville and Schaerbeek. Rue du Noyer splits it diagonally.
Place Wappers wasn’t originally planned. Gédéon Bordiau designed the Nord-Est district. His plan received royal approval in 1875. The square’s creation came later. It was born from extending Rue Murillo past Rue Wappers. The communal council approved this in 1900.
The name Place Wappers came about in 1922. It honors Gustave Wappers. He was a Belgian painter of historical subjects and portraits. Wappers lived from 1803 to 1874. The adjacent Rue Wappers inspired the square’s name.
Buildings on Place Wappers show eclectic styles. A large apartment building stands at number 16-19. It was designed in 1910. Three houses were conceived together in 1901. A fourth house is located on Rue Murillo. Numbers 13 and 15 have seen major renovations. These occurred in 1979 and 1959 respectively.
Streets converge here. Rue Wappers and Rue Murillo meet in Brussels. Rue Théodore Roosevelt begins in Schaerbeek. The numbering of buildings runs clockwise from 1 to 19. Place Wappers offers a blend of history and architecture.