Arcades du Cinquantenaire

Arcade du Cinquantenaire or Arcades du Cinquantenaire is a monumental triple arch in the center of the Cinquantenaire park in Brussels, Belgium. It is topped by a bronze quadriga sculptural group with a woman charioteer, representing Brabant raising the national flag. The columns echo the original layout of Avenue de Tervuren, which was once divided into three roadways lined with a double row of trees. The sidewalls feature personifications of Belgian provinces: Brabant being represented by the quadriga, East Flanders, West Flanders, Antwerp, Liège, Hainaut, Limburg, Namur and Luxembourg. Twelve spandrels are decorated with allegories of Arts and Industry.

History

The arch was a part of a project planned by Leopold II of Belgium, who wanted to beautify Brussels. The idea of the arch was originally conceived by Gédéon Bordiau, but upon his death in 1904 the arch's design was revised by Charles Girault. Girault designed a triple arcade, but preserved Bordiau's idea of the quadriga. The foundation of the arch was laid down on 4 January 1905.Funding for the arch came from rubber exports from the Congo Free State (source: Reader's Africa The basic construction was completed in May of the same year and the arch was inaugurated by Leopold II on 27 September 1905.

In 1912 the colonnade's interior was decorated with the mosaic by Jean Delville. He was then joined by several other artists. The mosaic decoration was completed in 1932.

Quadriga

The arch's bronze quadriga was made by Thomas Vinçotte and horses by Jules Lagae. The pedestal, facing Avenue de Tervuren, bears the inscription: "This monument was erected in 1905 for the glorification of the independence of Belgium", with the year shown in Roman numerals.

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