Royal+Palace+of+Laeken

The Royal Palace of Laeken was built between 1782-1784. It was designed by a French architect Charles de Wailly and contracted by Louis Montoyer. The Palace was built by the governors of Habsurg Netherlands when Belgium was under Dutch rule. After the area came under French rule in 1794, the palace was left abandoned for some time, and was near demolition. In 1804, it was purchased for 5 million frances by Napoleon Bonaparte, who went on to restore the palace to its former glory. He stayed there several times with his first wife, and later gave the property to her following their divorce.

In 1815, the palace was acquired by King Wllem I, who also made renovations, adding an orangery and a theater. After Belgian Independence, the Palace of Laeken became the official residence of the newly elected King Leopold I in 1831.

King Leopold II is who made the most significant changes to the palace and the grounds. In 1874, he began building the Royal Gardens of Laeken, a project which would take over 20 years to complete. A fire in the palace on January 1, 1890 destroyed the dome and much of the north wing, which were soon rebuilt with the addition of two small pavilions on either side of the main palace block. Beginning 1902, King Leopold II had two large wings built in the palace. The right side was to be the private apartments, while the left side was to be for guests. The work was not finished until after his death in 1909.  Alphose Balat designed the royal greenhouse, and was given instructions by the famous English landscape designer Lancelot Brown. The complex greenhouse has an appearance of a glass city. Today, the gardens are open to the public for two weeks in the spring, and King Phillippe, Queen Mathilde, and their four children live in the Palace.