“What would it take to build a square around a church?” someone once mused about Place Saint-Lambert. This trapezoid-shaped space serves as a vital hub. It connects several important streets like Rue du Heysel and Avenue Jean Sobieski.
Place Saint-Lambert’s story begins with a royal decree. In 1899 King Albert I ordered its creation. The aim was to provide a fitting setting for the Saint-Lambert church. The church was built between 1902 and 1906. The Place Saint-Lambert derives its name from this very church.
Interestingly, the houses bordering Place Saint-Lambert didn’t receive their official addresses until around 1911. Before that, they were considered part of nearby streets. The location where the Saint-Lambert church stands had a different purpose centuries ago. It was home to the Slachmolen. This water mill dated back to at least the 14th century. The Heyselbeek stream powered the mill. It was demolished at the end of the 19th century.
To the north of Place Saint-Lambert stood the Vanderborght property. This estate dated back to the 17th century. It featured a farm and a manor house. A castle was built there in 1885 for Victor Vanderborght. Later, it became the residence of the Baroness de Vaughan. She was King Leopold II’s last companion. The estate’s outbuildings were demolished in 1930. During the 1935 World’s Fair, the castle served as a police station and firehouse. It disappeared in 1956.
For the 1935 Exposition, the rectangular area in front of the church was transformed. It became a semi-circular square. It was lined with linden trees. This design was intended to partially conceal the church. It also hid the houses on the square from the main entrance of the exposition. A tram stop was added to the north side of the church. This allowed visitors to reach the exposition site more easily.
For Expo 58, the Porte Benelux was constructed. It was accompanied by a circular pavilion. A curved stone staircase ran alongside the square. In 1979, a circular fountain with built-in seating called Agora was added to the center of the square. An old concrete urinal with a wooden roof still stands at the northeast corner of the church.
The buildings surrounding Place Saint-Lambert are mainly apartment houses. They were built in the early 1900s and 1910s. They display eclectic and sometimes neoclassical styles. Most ground floors have been converted into commercial spaces. Nos 1 and 82 Avenue Jean Sobieski were designed together in 1905. Nos 10 and 12-14 won awards in a façade competition organized by the Commune in 1910. Nos 15-18 form a unit with nos 135 and 137 Rue Émile Wauters. The Ducat shoe store has been located at no 7 since before 1908. Its storefront dates from 1934. A carpentry workshop was built behind no 23 in 1929.
Place Saint-Lambert is more than just a square. It’s a tapestry of history, architecture, and urban evolution. It reflects Brussels’ changing identity over the centuries.