For the first time in over 20 years, the facade of the Palais de Justice in Brussels is on public view, with the last scaffolding removed (although parts can be seen in the picture above).
But the building, built between 1866 and 1883, is still not finished with its seemingly endless repair, restoration and stabilization. The rest of the building is still wrapped in scaffolding, some of it for as long as 42 years.
The building has long suffered from weathering and water leaks, leading to damage in the interior as well. The restoration project aims to preserve the building’s historic appearance while improving its safety, energy efficiency and accessibility.
Work on the rest of the building is scheduled to start early next year, and finish by 2035, but the stated objective is to have the last of the exterior scaffolding gone by 2030, 46 years after it went up.
Image by Mussklprozz/WikimediaCommons
