Mont Thabor, Rose, and L'Arbre d'Or Guild Houses, Grand Place - Brussels, Belgium
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 50° 50.777 E 004° 21.158
31U E 595224 N 5633602
Guild House (Guildhall) buildings are located in the Grand Place in Brussels.
Waymark Code: WMCFD1
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Date Posted: 09/01/2011
Views: 36
The Grand Place is a Baroque square in the center of of Brussels. It is surrounded by the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall), the Maison du Roi or Broodhuis (Breadhouse), the House of the Duke of Brabant, and the guildhalls.
The structures around the Grand Place represents a power struggle between civic, royal, and business interests. When the town hall was constructed it was perceived as a symbol of political power. The reigning Duke of Brabant, in a counter-move, built the Maison du Roi directly across the way as a display of Ducal power. Not to be outdone, the wealthy merchant class of Brussels built elaborate private homes and guild houses in which to conduct business. Today, this 223 by 360 foot square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The term guild houses is most commonly used for the entire set of houses surrounding the square regardless of whether or not they actually belonged to a guild. The guild houses are impressive structures, characterized by their elegant, ornate designs. There are magnificent gables, pilasters and balustrades, ornately carved stonework, and rich gold decoration. Most were built between 1696 and 1700 in the style of the Italian Baroque but with some Flemish influences. They bear both the name of the sponsoring guild as well as their individual names.
On the southwest corner of the square are five guild houses. The three that are depicted are from left to right:
Mont Thabor, which is a private residence.
Rose, which is a private residence.
L'Arbre d'Or (The Golden Tree), which is the home of the brewers guild. It is recognized by the gilded hops vines that are climbing its columns and the gold statue of the Governor of Holland, Charles of Lorraine, on the roof.
The semi-postal stamp was issued by Belgium in 1965 as part of a set of five stamps. The surcharge was used to fight tuberculosis.
Stamp Issuing Country: Belgium
Date of Issue: December 4, 1965
Denomination: 1 fr + 40 centimes
Color: blue green
Stamp Type: Single Stamp
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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