Square des Vétérans Coloniaux - Koloniale-Veteranensquare

Square des Vétérans Coloniaux is a small public square in the municipality of Anderlecht, in the Scheut neighbourhood, southwest of central Brussels. Its coordinates are 50.843888, 4.313048. It is a quiet, green pocket surrounded by residential buildings, typical of the local squares scattered across this part of the city — a spot for a short walk, a bench to sit on, or simply a shortcut between nearby streets.

Where does the square's name come from?

The name was given by a decision of the Anderlecht municipal council in 1930, honouring an association of "Colonial Veterans" founded in 1928 by a general who was at the time regarded as a hero of the anti-slavery campaign in Congo. Naming public spaces after figures and events tied to Belgium's colonial past was common practice during the interwar period, and many streets and squares across Brussels and other Belgian cities still carry similar names today.

Why has the name become controversial?

For several years the square's name has been the subject of public debate. In 2017, the Ecolo-Groen group on the Anderlecht municipal council proposed renaming it and launching a participatory process allowing residents to choose a new name. Their argument was that honouring "colonial veterans" was no longer appropriate, since many of them were responsible in Congo for what was described as "atrocious crimes on an enormous scale." The mayor at the time agreed to commission a historical study, stating that the name would be changed if the findings confirmed the concerns raised. The issue has since resurfaced repeatedly on the municipal council's agenda, and the broader question of decolonising public space in Brussels — monuments and street names alike — remains an active topic across the whole capital region.

What should visitors know about this place?

Square des Vétérans Coloniaux is not a tourist attraction in the classic sense — it is primarily a neighbourhood space serving the residents of Anderlecht. For anyone interested in Brussels' history and its complicated colonial legacy, however, it can be a worthwhile stop: it offers a concrete example of how names given almost a century ago continue to shape present-day debates about historical memory. It's worth keeping in mind that the discussion around renaming the square has not been definitively closed, so its name could change in the future.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the square located? In the municipality of Anderlecht, in the Scheut area, in the southwestern part of Brussels.

Where does the square's name come from? It was assigned in 1930 by decision of the municipal council, in honour of an association of colonial veterans founded in 1928.

Will the name of the square change? A political and social debate on this has been ongoing since 2017; local authorities have considered renaming it following a historical study, but no final decision has been made yet.

Is this a tourist attraction? Not in the usual sense — it's a local neighbourhood square, of interest mainly for its historical context rather than scenic appeal.