Square des Griottiers - Morelleboomsquare

Square des Griottiers – Morelleboomsquare is a small, triangular public square in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, formed at the meeting point of three avenues: Avenue Émile Max, Avenue Milcamps, and Avenue Félix Marchal. It's easy to walk past without noticing, yet it holds a surprising amount of local history and symbolism.

Where does the name come from?

The name refers to sour cherry trees – griottiers in French, morellebomen in Dutch. The sour cherry (griotte) is one of two unofficial symbols of Schaerbeek, alongside the donkey. That odd pairing has a concrete historical explanation: in the past, residents of Schaerbeek transported their cherry harvests to Brussels markets on donkeys' backs. Fruit trading was significant enough to the local economy that both the cherry and the donkey became lasting emblems of the municipality, and the square's name is one of their modern traces.

When was the square created?

Square des Griottiers – Morelleboomsquare was officially inaugurated on 22 November 1992. The date wasn't chosen at random – the ceremony coincided with the annual chapter of the Brotherhood of the Order of the Sour Cherry (Confrérie de l'Ordre de la Griotte), a local organization dedicated to keeping the fruit's tradition alive. Cherry trees were planted on the square specifically to honor that tradition – originally five of them. Only three remain today, a reminder that maintaining this kind of urban greenery over decades isn't always straightforward, even if the core layout is still clearly recognizable.

What else is there to see?

At the center of the square stands a sculpture by Eugène Canneel, titled "The Joys of Spring" ("Les Joies du printemps"). It's a modest but distinctive piece that gives the square more of an artistic identity than a purely functional one – a pattern common across Brussels, where small pockets of urban greenery are paired with public sculpture to create a resting spot with its own character.

Who is this place for?

Square des Griottiers isn't a tourist attraction in the conventional sense – it's more of a stopping point for people exploring Schaerbeek on foot or looking for a quiet moment between the avenues of this part of the city. Thanks to its triangular shape and position at the junction of three streets, the square also works as a small local landmark, easy to recognize by its cherry trees and the sculpture at its center.

For anyone interested in the history and traditions of Brussels' neighborhoods, it's a good example of how a tiny piece of urban space can carry a layer of meaning tied to the trade and customs of the people who once lived there.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to Square des Griottiers? The square sits at the intersection of Avenue Émile Max, Avenue Milcamps, and Avenue Félix Marchal in Schaerbeek, within easy walking distance of the municipality's main streets.

Why is it called "des Griottiers"? The name comes from the sour cherry trees (griottiers) planted there – the griotte cherry is one of Schaerbeek's symbols, together with the donkey once used to carry the harvest to market.

What does the sculpture on the square depict? It's a work by Eugène Canneel titled "The Joys of Spring."

How many cherry trees remain on the square today? Of the original five, three still stand.