Square de Meeûs - De Meeûssquare

Square de Meeûs is a small, intimate green square straddling the border between the City of Brussels and the municipality of Ixelles, right in the heart of the European Quarter. Surrounded today by EU institution buildings and office blocks, the square itself has kept the feel of a green pocket from an earlier era of the city — one that predates the bureaucratic district growing up around it.

Where does the name come from?

The square is named after Ferdinand de Meeûs, an influential 19th-century Belgian banker and financier who played a significant role in shaping this part of the city. His name survives mainly on the street signs around the square, which for most passers-by is the only clue to who the place is named after.

How did the square come into being?

Square de Meeûs developed alongside the neighbouring Leopold Quarter, one of the first modern, purpose-planned districts of 19th-century Brussels. The architect Tilman-François Suys drew up the initial layout of the square as an open urban space in 1837. Decades later, in 1862, landscape architect Louis Fuchs reshaped it into an enclosed square with fencing, giving it more the character of a small park than an open city square.

Why is the square split into two parts?

An unusual administrative detail is that Rue du Luxembourg cuts straight through the middle of the square, dividing it both physically and administratively. The northern half belongs to the City of Brussels, while the southern half falls under the municipality of Ixelles. Visitors rarely notice the boundary while strolling through, yet it means the upkeep of the greenery on either side of the street technically falls to two separate local authorities.

What can visitors see here?

Despite its modest size, the square is home to mature trees recognised as natural heritage of Ixelles: two walnut trees, a yellowwood and a sycamore. These substantial, long-established trees give the square the atmosphere of an old, settled park, standing in contrast to the modern office architecture that surrounds it on all sides.

What has changed here recently?

Square de Meeûs underwent a thorough restoration, 80% financed by the Brussels-Capital Region. The works aimed to restore the square to its former glory and visually reunite its two halves, which had been separated by the street since the 19th-century redesign. The renewed green space was officially inaugurated by Pascal Smet, the Brussels Region's State Secretary for Heritage, who highlighted its value as a green enclave within the densely built European institutional quarter.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth a visit while in the European Quarter? Yes — it's one of the few spots in this part of the city where you can sit in the shade of old trees, away from traffic and the bustle of nearby offices.

Is the square open to the public? Yes, it is a public urban space with no restrictions on access, though given the character of the neighbourhood it sees most visitors on weekdays from people working in the surrounding institutions.

How do you get there? Square de Meeûs lies right next to the main thoroughfares of the European Quarter, within easy walking distance of the metro stations serving this part of Brussels.

How long does a visit take? It's a spot for a short stop — a few minutes is enough to rest among the greenery, though visitors interested in the surrounding 19th-century architecture may want to linger longer.