The bombardment of 1695

On the night of 13 to 14 August 1695, the troops of Louis XIV, King of France, bombarded Brussels. This is a major event in the history of our capital.

This anonymous painting shows the fire raging through the square following the bombardment. Most of the residents of Brussels managed to flee the city in time, but many of the buildings around the Grand-Place were completely destroyed. Only a few façades, such as those of the Town Hall and the Maison du Roi, remain standing. Reconstruction begins shortly after this event. In record time, the Grand-Place acquired its beauty that we cherish to this day.

The bombardment of 1695 © Brussels City Museum

A brand new virtual reality experience

The experience allows users to be visually immersed in the Grand-Place before the 1695 bombing. As if in a time machine, users find themselves back on the square in the 17^th century.
They can observe the different houses, the Town Hall, the Maison du Roi… buildings that are very different from what they could see before entering the museum.

Suddenly, a cannonball strikes the cobbles. The impact is intense. Then, a house goes up in flames…