Mr Monkey ran out into the Grand Place (the Grote Markt in Flemish), and stopped because it was was so grand (or grote). This is the historical and commercial heart of Brussels, with open air markets here as early as the eleventh century. All the buildings here now were built in a roughly uniform style after the French knocked everything but the town hall and a couple of guildhall facades down with a two day cannon bombardment in 1695. Now the main danger is being swept away by parties of tourists trying to find their coaches.
Follow the links on the images below for more about Mr Monkey's visit to the Grand Place.
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 30 June 2005