Brussels Says Farewell to Coca-Cola Sign After 74 Years

The iconic Coca-Cola sign that had illuminated Place De Brouckère in Brussels for more than seven decades was permanently removed on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Workers dismantled the large advertising panel from the roof of the former Hotel Continental, bringing an end to one of the Belgian capital’s most recognizable urban landmarks.

According to VRT NWS, the removal marks the final chapter for a sign that first appeared in 1952 as a static billboard before being upgraded to a massive digital LED screen in 2011. The screen, measuring 15.6 meters by 8.4 meters — approximately 130 square meters — was the largest of its kind in Belgium at the time of its installation.

A Landmark Rooted in Brussels History

Place De Brouckère was once known as the “European Times Square,” lined with illuminated advertisements for brands like Martini and Cinzano. Over the decades, nearly all of those neon signs disappeared — until only the Coca-Cola panel remained as the last vestige of that bygone era.

The sign had been dark since 2021, when the Brussels Region refused to renew its urban planning permit. Officials deemed the panel disproportionate and incompatible with the historic square. A new Specific Land-Use Plan (BBP) for the area had introduced stricter rules on advertising, sealing the sign’s fate.

Coca-Cola appealed the decision, and in December 2022, the Council of State suspended the permit refusal, ruling that the Region had insufficiently justified its reasoning. However, the screen remained dark throughout the legal proceedings, and the building’s redevelopment ultimately left no room for the advertising panel.

A Clash of Heritage and Commerce

The removal has reignited debate about the role of commercial advertising in historic public spaces. Ans Persoons (Vooruit), Brussels State Secretary for Heritage and Urban Renewal, welcomed the development as a positive evolution for the square.

“The Coca-Cola advertising sign on the roof of the Hotel Continental on De Brouckère Square now definitively belongs to the past,” Persoons said. “It appeared in 1952 as an eye-catching billboard for motorists driving past on the busy central avenues. In 2011 it was replaced by a brightly lit digital board — a less charming addition to an iconic city square.”

Persoons framed the removal as part of a broader conversation about public space. “The discussion about advertising or art in public space revives the urban debate,” she said. “The definitive removal of the Coca-Cola sign closes a chapter, but for De Brouckère Square and Brussels heritage, a new story begins, one that will undoubtedly be just as iconic.”

However, the decision was not without controversy. The City of Brussels, which owns the Hotel Continental building through its property agency (Régie foncière), had opposed the permit refusal. The advertising space generated approximately €12,000 per month (€144,000 per year) in rental income from Coca-Cola — revenue the city had used to provide rent relief to small shopkeepers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Lydia Mutyebele, then the City of Brussels Alderman for the Property Agency, argued in 2020 that the timing of the permit refusal was poorly chosen. “The money from the Coca-Cola multinational allows us to help small Brussels shopkeepers,” she said at the time. “And now we are losing nearly 150,000 euros.”

What Comes Next

The Hotel Continental building, which has been closed as a hotel for some time, is now undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment into a mixed-use project. The City’s new plans have no place for the advertising panel. Reports indicate that authorities are considering a non-commercial installation to replace the former screen, though no concrete plans have been announced.

The removal of the Coca-Cola sign sets a significant precedent for urban heritage management in Brussels. It signals a shift away from large-scale commercial advertising in historic city centers, aligning with a broader European trend of cities reclaiming public space from corporate interests.

For now, the Brussels skyline looks a little different — and a debate that has simmered for years about what belongs in the city’s most iconic public square is far from over.