Place du Petit Sablon, Brussels

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This little park is a real eye catching gem it is situated in Sablon Square where forty eight little statues ring both the square and the park. I will place a picture of the statues in an albulm as I realise while writing I did not include one. The park is small but well tended with many statues of Counts of Brussels framed by natures best greenery. The centre piece is a statue and water fountain commemorating the Counts of Egmont and Hoorne who were executed in the nearby Market Place by order of Philip ll of Spain in 1568. We enjoyed our stroll around here - a little bit of peace a step from a noisy city.

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The Sablon is one of the most prestigious and attractive areas in Brussels. In recent years it has become the center of the antiques shops and art galleries.

The name of this area refers to the time when it was still situated outside of the city walls of the 12th century. It was originally a sandy road along which people had access to the city gates. Because of frequent use this road had become hollow and on both sides a yellowish earth layer could be seen. This type of sandy clay was called 'zavel' in Dutch and "sablon" in French. In the 14th century a small chapel in the sablon area was transformed into an important pilgrimage site where a miraculous statue of Our Lady was venerated. Very soon the area became more populated and was enclosed within the 14th century city walls. Around 1450 the little chapel had been transformed into a beautiful gothic church, the Sablon church or church of Our Lady of the Victories.

In the center is the statue of the counts of Egmont and Hoorne who were executed at the Market Place by order of Philip II of Spain in 1568.

Nowadays, the Sablon is visited by lovers of antiques and art because the entire area boasts hundreds of antiques shops and art galleries.

Continuous list of the statues of Petit Sablon:
33. Lumberjack – Albert Hambresin
(attribute = saw)

34. Knife makers – Julien Renoodeyn
(attribute = Knife)
Barrel makers – Jules Courroit

35. Sewers and fur handlers – Armand Cattier
(attribute – fur coat)

36. Carpenter – Aug. Van den Kerckhove
(attribute – compas)

37. Carpenters, fourniture makers - Aug. Van den Kerckhove

38. Gallon and decoration – Emile Namur

39. Blacksmith – Emile Namur

40. Dairy and poultry merchants – Polydoor Comeyn
(attribute – dead goose and bottle)

41. Glove makers - Louis van Biesbroeck
(attribute = gloves and scissors in the belt)

42. Paper gold painters – Louis van Biesbroeck
(attribute = Palette, pencil and cup)

43. Milner – Guillaume Charlier
(attribute = Mill’s wheel and Mill)

44. Merchants of brined fish – Charles Geefs
(attribute = Fish and little barrel)

45. Butchers – Edmond Lefever
(attribute = Butcher’s knife and more knives at the belt)

46. Tapestry weaver – Albert Desenfans
(attribute = Spool and thread)

47. Brewers – Emile Namur
(attribute = Oven spoon)

48. Bakers – Emile Namur
(attribute = Oven scoop)

Continuous list of statues at Petit Sablon:

21. Second hand cloths sellers – A. van den Kerckhove
(attribute – hat and piece of tissue)

22. Carpenter – A. van den Kerckhove
(attribute axe)

23. Sailors – Edouard Laborne
(attribute paddle, ropes and anchor)

24. Wool weavers and sellers – Benoit Wante

25. Tailors – Armand Cattier
(attributes – cloth and scissors)

26. Saddle and wagon makers – Robert Fabry
(attributes = saddle)

27. Vegetables and fruit sellers – Albert Hambresin
(Attribute = fruit basket)

28. Painters, goldsmiths and glass makers – A.-J. Van Rasbourgh
(attribute = palette and brush)

29. Locks and clock makers – J. Cuypers
(attribute = keys and clock)

30. Wine tradesman – Albert Hambresin
(attributes = bottles, can and barrel)

31. Tissue sellers and socks fabricants – Robert Fabry
(attributes - tissue and socks at the belt)

32. Barbers - K.J. Martens
(attributes = can and instrument box)

At the Petit Sablon you will find this little cosy park. The fence around the park is decorated with many little statues, all representing a profession, 48 in total!

I will start to try to sum them up but be patient! 48 is a lot!



1. Profession of the four crowned - Godefroid van den Kerckhove.
This was the name of the guilt of people who build stone houses, cut stone, cut statues and sold lime stone.

2. Swords makers, sweepers and helmet makers, - Godefroid van den Kerckhove.
A young guy is looking at a sword and has a helmet lying in front of him.

3. Tin workers and plumbers -Jean Cuypers.

4. Roof makers - Albert Desenfans.

5. Bleachers - Jef Lambeaux.
(attribute = a shuffle)

6. Kettle makers; copper and bronze workers - Jef Lambeaux
(attributes = a pot, a can and a hammer)

7. Fabricants of chairs, baskets, plastering and people who covers roofs with reed - Antoine Van Rasbourgh.

8. Hat and liquor fabricants -Jean Cuypers.
(attribute = a hat)

9. Leader fabricants and animal skin workers - Albert Desenfans.
(attribute = a cow skin)

10. Chairs in Spanish leader and wits fabricants - Jules Courroit.
(attribute = a chair)

11. Gunpowder and gun fabricatns – Jean Van den Kerckhove

12. Shoe repairer/maker – Jean Laumans
(attributes = a couple of shoes)

13. Fish sales men – Jean Laumans
(attributes = a fishnet and fish)

14. Boots makers – Louis van Biesbroeck
(attributes = boots and shoes)

15. Sheep shavers and sellers – Eug. De Plyn
(attributes – scissors)

16. Wool painters – Charles Geefs
(attributes – the can in his hand, the barrel and the stove)

17. Belt makers and needle fabricants – Antoine Van Rasbourgh.
(attribute = a belt)

18. Thread and wool sellers – Polydoor Comeyn
(attribute = bascule and wool)

19. Blacksmith – Louis Eugène Cambier
(attribute = hammer)

20. Flax and linen sellers – Eug. De Plyn

I would recommend a walk to the Kleine Zavel or as they call it in French Le Petit Sablon.
It is really a very nice little park.
There are a lot of little statues put around the iron fence. They all represent an occupation.
Try to find out which one it is!
It is a nice place to park your bicycle, if you are courageous enough to cycle through Brussels (see my transportation tips). It is also a nice little oasis to take your lunch bag and enjoy your sandwiches on one of the benches around the little fountain in the middle.


During the Middle Ages, the Sablon was a wasteland outside the Southern edge of the first city wall.
In the Eastern part, what is now known as Petit Sablon, was a grave yard for the Saint Johns hostpital. I write the year 1299 as the inauguration of this cemetery.
In 1304 a part of this territory was donated to build the Church you see at the opposite of the Petit Sablon. It is Our Lady’s church of the Sablon.
In 1704 the cemetery was dismissed (by Emperor Joseph II of Austria?).
Due to urbanisation of the area – new houses; streets; making of the square around the Church – the area became divided in two parts: big and small, Sablon and Petit Sablon.

Opposite the Notre Dame du Sablon is located one of the most elegant squares in Brussels - Place du Petit Sablon. The 48 bronze statues, standing on 48 fine neo gothic columns, recall the guild masters of the 16th century. Tile and thatch roofers, chair makers, gold beaters and dried cod dealers.

Coming from Rue Blaes we find a wonderful market ... after I have read that is the most famous antiques market ... I am so happy to have get here ... lost of antiques of hight quality ... hight prices ... but ... great food for my eyes and spirit ...
I get in love with a beautiful japanese doll ... the coast was 900 euros ... the day after I went to the flea market at Place Jeu de Balle and I founded another japanese doll ...very similar to this one .... but .... it was like compare a real diamon with a cristal one ... they can be smilar but ... there is something that make the great difference ....
This market take place at weekends, saturdays from 9am to 5pm and Sundays from 9am to 1pm

In the small park, Le Petit Sablon, you can see, besides the big statue of Egmont and Hoorne, lots of white Carrara marble statues.

These statues represent the heroes who fought against the Spanish tyranny or intellectuals and scientists from the 16th century. They all have in common the fact that they devoted their lives to conquering their freedom of thought.

Some of the names of the statues: William of Orange-Nassau, Corneille de Vriendt (sculptor and architect of the Antwerp City Hall), Gerard Mercator (geographer), . . .

Opposite the Our lady of Sablon Church there is a small park. It is Le Petit Sablon (de kleine Zavel).

At first this park was a square. This park is surrounded by a fence which is decorated with 48 beautiful small statues; these statues represent the different Brussels trades.