In 1839, the Royal Library of Belgium was housed in the Palace of Charles of Lorraine. Today, the Palace hosts KBR’s temporary exhibitions. You can only enter the palace during these exhibitions or at special events. The palace is entirely wheelchair accessible.
When there is no exhibition running, you can rent the apartments and the rotunda for events.
History of this building
Charles of Lorraine was the governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1744 to 1780. He was an avid art and science enthusiast and collector. His palace, the construction of which started in 1757, later housed the Royal Library's reading rooms and is now used for events and exhibitions.
An impressive staircase, adorned with a statue of Hercules, sculpted by Laurent Delvaux, leads up to the first-floor rotunda. The rotunda's paving includes a central rosette made up of 28 types of Belgian marble, a sample of the Prince's collection of 5,000 minerals. The rotunda's wonderful floor art leads to five rooms decorated with stuccos and silk, where the governor used to entertain his guests and took care of state affairs.
More information: https://www.kbr.be/en/venue/palace-of-charles-of-lorraine/
