Arcade du Cinquantenaire

Arcade du Cinquantenaire or Arcades du Cinquantenaire is a monumental triple arch in the center of the Cinquantenaire park in Brussels, Belgium. It is topped by a bronze quadriga sculptural group with a woman charioteer, representing Brabant raising the national flag.[1] The columns echo the original layout of Avenue de Tervuren, which was once divided into three roadways lined with a double row of trees.[2] The sidewalls feature personifications of Belgian provinces: Brabant being represented by the quadriga, East Flanders, West Flanders, Antwerp, Liège, Hainaut, Limburg, Namur and Luxembourg. Twelve spandrels are decorated with allegories of Arts and Industry.[2]

Arcade du Cinquantenaire
Alternative names	French: Arcades du Cinquantenaire
General information
Type	Triumphal arch
Architectural style	Neoclassicism
Location	Cinquantenaire, Brussels, Belgium
Coordinates	50°50′25″N 4°23′34″E
Construction started	4 January 1905
Completed	27 September 1905
Design and construction
Architect	Gédéon Bordiau, Charles Girault

The quadriga

History

The arch was a part of a project planned by Leopold II of Belgium, who wanted to beautify Brussels.[2] The idea of the arch was originally conceived by Gédéon Bordiau, but upon his death in 1904 the arch's design was revised by Charles Girault.[2] Girault designed a triple arcade, but preserved Bordiau's idea of the quadriga.[2] The foundation of the arch was laid down on 4 January 1905.Funding for the arch came from rubber exports from the Congo Free State (source: Reader's Africa[2] The basic construction was completed in May of the same year and the arch was inaugurated by Leopold II on 27 September 1905.[2]

In 1912 the colonnade's interior was decorated with the mosaic by Jean Delville. He was then joined by several other artists.[2] The mosaic decoration was completed in 1932.

Quadriga

The arch's bronze quadriga was made by Thomas Vinçotte and horses by Jules Lagae.[2] The pedestal, facing Avenue de Tervuren, bears the inscription: "This monument was erected in 1905 for the glorification of the independence of Belgium", with the year shown in Roman numerals.

See also

• Neoclassical architecture in Belgium

References

1. McDonald, George (2011). Frommer's Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. John Wiley & Sons. p. 113. ISBN 1118061519.
2. "Arcade et hémicycle Parc du Cinquantenaire" (in French). L'inventaire du patrimoine architectural de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. Retrieved 25 May 2014.