A mighty medieval tower hidden away in the urban centre of Brussels
Once there was a mighty wall that defended Brussels in the medieval era. It was the first major wall around Brussels. The Black Tower is one of the few remaining pieces of that wall.
Hidden behind the Sainte-Catherine Church and on the back of a hotel, Black Tower is an interesting sight to see while you’re strolling through the city centre of Brussels. It’s just a 10 minute stroll from the Grand Place of Brussels!
The tower is totally surrounded by more modern buildings, so it looks like it accidentally fell out of a fairy tale world into the modern day. Black Tower dates back to the 13th century, though it’s been out of use for hundreds of years.
You can’t actually go inside Black Tower! It’s there as a monument and photo spot. There’s some benches nearby where locals and tourists take a break on a city stroll.
- We’ve seen people and kids climb up a bit, but we don’t recommend this for safety reasons.
- There’s a plaque near the base of the tower that tells you about its history
- Brussels is the birthplace of the comic strip. What does that have to do with Black Tower? Well, the tower is featured in The Adventures of Nero by Marc Sleen in a story called De Zwarte Toren (The Black Tower).
Tips and Tricks
- While you can’t go inside, you can walk a little bit around the tower as it’s not attached to the hotel building. You’ll get a better view of the windows and stairs around the sides.
Getting There
- By Metro: 4 min walk from De Brouckère metro station. Metros 1 and 5 stop here
- By Tram: 4 min walk from De Brouckère tram stop. Trams 3, 4 and 5 stop here
- By Bus: close to bus stop Brussel Brouckère P58. Buses 126, 127 and 128 stop here
