Palais de Justice, Brussels

Joseph Poelaert's Palais de Justice was built between 1866 and 1883 on the Galgenberg above the Marolles, and its scale is the point: a footprint of about twenty-six thousand square metres, larger than St Peter's in Rome, with a dome rising above a hundred metres and an entrance hall of enormous height, in a style that mixes Greco-Roman, Assyrian and Egyptian sources into something no one has ever quite classified. Its construction destroyed a large part of the Marolles below, which the quarter has not forgotten. Scaffolding went up for restoration in 1984 and much of it is still there, long enough that it has become a Brussels joke and, in its own right, a heritage-listed feature. The terrace beside it gives a wide view over the lower city.

What you actually see

• A footprint larger than St Peter's - the sheer scale of the building.
• The entrance hall - a vast space open to the public.
• Permanent scaffolding - up since 1984 and now part of the landmark.
• The Poelaert terrace view - the lower town and the Marolles below.

When to go

Year round. One hour. The public halls open on weekdays during court hours; there is no access at weekends. The terrace outside is open at all times and best in the late afternoon.

Honest expectations

The exterior is largely hidden by scaffolding and has been for forty years. Interior access is limited to the entrance halls on working days. It is a functioning court with security checks. The building is grim and cold inside.

Nearby

The Marolles and its market are directly below; the Sablon lies north.