Brussels Palace of Justice Facade Unveiled After Restoration

The restored front facade of the Brussels Palace of Justice has been officially unveiled after the removal of scaffolding that had obscured the landmark for more than two decades. The Belgian Buildings Agency (Régie des Bâtiments) organized a ceremony at Place Poelaert on Thursday to mark the completion of the first phase of a restoration project that began in August 2023, as RTBF reported.

A Landmark Freed from Its Scaffolding

The scaffolding on the main facade had been installed in the early 2000s as a protective measure against falling stones, becoming a permanent fixture of the Brussels skyline. For many residents, the Palace without scaffolding was an unfamiliar sight. “A generation of Brussels residents has never known the Palace of Justice without scaffolding,” said Vanessa Matz, the federal minister in charge of the Buildings Agency, as quoted by DH Net.

The first phase of the project covered approximately 22,750 square meters of facade — equivalent to nearly five football fields — along with the peristyle and the honor courtyard. The main facade measures 135 meters wide and rises to 45.5 meters at the level of the statue of Minerva. Around 140 windows and 60 doors were restored and repainted, at a total cost of €31.7 million including VAT.

Craftsmanship Meets Cutting-Edge Technology

The restoration prioritized the conservation of existing materials and the building’s original appearance. Custom-cut stones from the Comblanchien quarries in Burgundy and blue stone from Soignies were used, with two four-ton corner stones replaced at a height of 28 meters. In the peristyle, approximately 10,000 square meters of plaster were treated and 3,500 square meters of natural stone floors restored. The large bronze access door and four marble statues of the monumental staircase — Lycurgus, Demosthenes, Cicero, and Ulpian — were also restored.

“The restoration of the Palace of Justice combined cutting-edge techniques with centuries-old artisanal expertise,” explained Isolde Verhulst, architect and administrator of PERSPECTIV architecten, as reported by La Libre. “The principle was to observe well, understand, and then intervene with the greatest respect for what exists.”

The project also leveraged Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, with the entire facade scanned for 3D digital modeling. This helped identify stones to preserve, repair, or replace and piloted robots used for milling certain pieces. The project won first prize in the BIM category at the Belgian Construction Awards in December 2024, as RTBF reported.

A Symbolic Moment for Belgian Justice

Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden described the project as representing “much more than a simple repair of stones and facades,” adding that “an efficient Justice system needs quality infrastructure.” Jan De Moor, director of Artes-Woudenberg, the construction company, celebrated the milestone: “After more than 20 years, the scaffolding finally disappears and the result is revealed,” he said, describing the project as “complex and ambitious” and noting that more than 100 people worked on the site for three years, according to 21news.be.

The main entrance on Place Poelaert, which was moved to Rue des Minimes during the works, is scheduled to reopen in September. A new access for people with reduced mobility was also created, including a lifting platform in the left portico.

The Road Ahead: A €600 Million Endeavor

The unveiling of the front facade marks only the first step in a much larger renovation effort. The total cost of restoring the Palace of Justice is estimated at over €600 million, according to a ministerial response from March 2026, as RTBF reported. This includes €28.5 million already spent on the Place Poelaert facade, €100 million for future studies, scaffolding, and continued facade restoration, and €480 million for interior renovation.

The second phase will address the facades of the dome’s base, with the public contract expected to be published in autumn 2026 and works beginning in 2027. The four phases of facade restoration are expected to be completed by 2035, with the goal of removing all remaining scaffolding around the building by 2030 — the year of Belgium’s bicentennial.

As RTBF noted in September 2025, the Palace has been covered in scaffolding since 1984, making it one of the most famous “scaffolded” buildings in the world. The restoration project, which began in earnest in 2023 after years of planning, represents the first serious effort to address the building’s deterioration in decades.

While the interior of the Palace remains in poor condition — with reports of leaks, deteriorating rooms, and safety concerns — the completion of the first facade phase offers a tangible sign of progress. For the first time in over two decades, Brussels residents can see Poelaert’s grand design as it was originally intended, and the path forward for the complete restoration of this architectural masterpiece is now clearly mapped.