Brussels: area by area: The Upper Town – Parc de Cinquantenaire – The Triumphal Arch

This arch was built to serve as a monument to illustrate the glorious past of Brussels. It also was to serve as a new entrance gate to the centre for people entering from the eastern side of Brussels, via the newly constructed Tervurenlaan/Avenue de Tervueren.

The arch was planned for the world exhibition of 1880, but would take a long time to be finished. In 1880 only the basis of the colons had been constructed. During the exhibition the rest of the arch was completed with wooden panels. The monument was then also crowned with a quadriga, representing the province of Brabant.