Royal destination: The Palace of Nassau in Brussels

 From 5 till 8 November 2021, I was in "hellhole" Brussels to visit the Bright 
Brussels festival and some museums. Quite by accident I ended up in the chapel
of the Palace of Nassau. 

Immediately I was fascinated by its history. Was it a part of a real royal palace?
Who lived there?

The painting of the Palace of Nassau

Broodhuis in Brussels - own picture 2021

the chapel at the Palace of Nassau

own picture 2021

History

The Palace of Nassau, also called Hof van Nassau in Dutch and Hôtel de Nassau
in French, was the former city palace of the Counts of Nassau located on the
Coudenberg in Brussels. 

The construction was started in the 14th. century. Willem van Duivenvoorde settled
in Brussels. However Willem Van Duivenvoorde had twelve natural children
but no legal ones, so his possessions came into the hands of the family Van Polanen.

When Johanna van Polanen - the last descendant of this family - married
Engelbrecht I of Nassau-Siegen in 1403, the palace came into the possession of
the Counts of Nassau. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

The presence of the Counts of Nassau near the Palace on the Coudenberg -
the residence of the rulers of the Netherlands - contributed greatly to the
growth of their political influence. 

Between the 1480's and the 1520's, the palace was renovated by Engelbrecht II
and his successor Henry III of Nassau-Breda.

Source picture: Wikipedia

Under Henry III, the Palace of Nassau became a meeting point for the crowned
heads of Europe of that time. Artists and writers found their way too, to the palace.

After the death of Henry III of Nassau-Breda, the palace of Nassau came into 
the hands of his grandson Willem of Orange. He loved it very much. His court
was regarded as the foremost gastronomy school in Europe. 

William of Orange - Source picture: Wikipedia

However Willem sided with the revolt against Spain in 1568 and saw his possessions
forfeited. The Brussels palace was confiscated and the newly arrived Duke of Alba
took up residence there. 

In 1731 the nearby Palace on the Coudenberg was destroyed by fire and the court 
there moved to the Palace of Nassau. 

Around 1750, Charles of Lorraine opened the negotiations to buy the Palace of Nassau.
It was sold for little money and almost completely demolished except the chapel. 

In 1797, the old garden of the palace had become a renowned herb garden. 

Nowadays the Royal Library of Belgium was built on the site of
the Palace of Nassau. 

own picture taken in 2012

As you can see on the picture, the garden of the Palace of Nassau is now a part of the
Mont des Arts (Kunstberg) in Brussels.