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Mr Monkey in the Grand Place


"I don't think Charles is as popular as Everard"

Mr Monkey outside the Maison du Cygne Mr Monkey in front of the memorial to Charles Bul

On his way out of the Grand Place, Mr Monkey had a quick look at the Maison du Cygne. There used to be a bar here, where Karl Marx used to meet Engels around the time they were writing the Communist Manifesto. In the arcade there's a statue of the Flemish hero Everard 't Serclaes who saved Brussels from being taken over by the Count of Flanders by climbing up the outside of the magistrate's house and swapping the flag of Flanders for the flag of Brabant. Because he was hacked to death thirty two years later it's considered very lucky to touch his statue. So lucky that it was impossible for Mr Monkey to get a photo of the effigy. He was able to get a picture of the monument to Charles Bul, the mayor who was responsible for much of the 19th century restoration of the Grand Place.


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Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 30 June 2005