Mont aux Potences - Galgenberg

Mont aux Potences (Galgenberg) is a modest hill in the Marolles district of Brussels, rising to roughly 81 meters above sea level. Few visitors recognize the name today, yet this rise once played a dark role in the city's history — and it still dominates the surrounding skyline thanks to a monumental building erected on its summit.

What does the name mean?

The hill's name, rendered both in French as "Mont aux Potences" and in Dutch as "Galgenberg", translates literally to "Gallows Hill". This is no coincidence: during the Middle Ages, the site served as a place of public execution, where condemned criminals were hanged in view of Brussels' residents. Hills located just outside city walls were a common choice for such purposes across medieval Europe — visible from a distance, they acted as a stark warning to travelers approaching the city.

From grim history to monumental architecture

For centuries the area around the hill remained a densely populated, working-class part of Brussels, adjoining the Marolles neighborhood known for its street markets and popular character. Everything changed dramatically in the 19th century, when city authorities decided to build a new home for the judiciary. To make room for the planned monumental structure, large sections of the existing housing on the hill were demolished — a decision still debated by local historians, since it displaced many residents and erased much of the district's older fabric.

At the summit rose the Palace of Justice (Palais de Justice), designed by architect Joseph Poelaert. Construction began in 1866 and was completed in 1883, an undertaking that stretched across nearly two decades and ranked among the largest architectural projects in 19th-century Europe. Built in a monumental, eclectic style blending classical elements with baroque grandeur, the building came to dominate the city skyline and remains one of Brussels' most recognizable landmarks, visible from numerous vantage points across the center.

A trace of a great anatomist

The hill's history is also tied to Andreas Vesalius, the renowned 16th-century anatomist and physician who grew up in Brussels near this very rise. According to some historical accounts, the young Vesalius visited Mont aux Potences in search of the bodies of executed criminals, which he used for his pioneering anatomical studies. While medical historians treat this episode with some caution, it vividly illustrates how closely science, execution, and urban topography were intertwined in that era.

What to know when visiting the area

Today the hill functions chiefly as a landmark associated with the Palace of Justice — at the time of its completion, one of the largest court buildings in the world by footprint. Walking through the Marolles district, it's worth remembering the site's grim past, a stark contrast to the neighborhood's present-day character, alive with flea markets and local bars. The hill's name endures as a lasting trace of an era when justice was carried out publicly, without the judicial process we recognize today.

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Mont aux Potences mean? Literally "Gallows Hill" — a reference to its former use as a site of public executions in the Middle Ages.

What stands on the hill today? The monumental Palace of Justice, built between 1866 and 1883 to a design by architect Joseph Poelaert.

What is the hill's connection to Andreas Vesalius? Historical accounts suggest the young anatomist, who grew up nearby, visited the hill to obtain bodies for his anatomical research.