Arc du Cinquantenaire

Geschiedenis

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. The columns echo the original layout of Avenue de Tervuren, which was once divided into three roadways lined with a double row of trees. 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.HistoryThe arch was a part of a project planned by Leopold II of Belgium, who wanted to beautify Brussels. 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. Girault designed a triple arcade, but preserved Bordiau's idea of the quadriga. 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