View source for Place du Jeu de Balle

{{Short description|Square in Brussels, Belgium}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox street
| name               = {{unbulleted list|{{native name|fr|Place du Jeu de Balle|italic=no}}|{{native name|nl|Vossenplein|italic=no}}}}
| image              = Jeu de Balle Bxl 01.JPG
| image_size         = 250px
| image_alt          =
| caption            = End of a market on the {{lang|fr|Place du Jeu de Balle|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Vossenplein|italic=no}}
| map_type           = Belgium Brussels#Belgium
| map_caption        = Location within Brussels
| coordinates        = {{coord|50|50|13|N|04|20|44|E|type:landmark_region:BE|display=inline,title}}
| quarter            = [[Marollen|Marolles/Marollen]]
| terminus_a         =
| terminus_b         =
| length             =
| width              =
| completion_date    = {{circa|1853}}
| inauguration_label = Denomination
| inauguration_date  =
| location           = [[City of Brussels]], Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
}}
The '''{{lang|fr|Place du Jeu de Balle|italic=no}}''' ([[French language|French]], {{IPA|fr|plas dy ʒø d(ə) bal|pron}}, "Ball Game Square") or '''{{lang|nl|Vossenplein|italic=no}}''' ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]; "Foxes' Square") is a [[Town square|square]] located in the heart of the [[Marollen|Marolles/Marollen]] district of the [[City of Brussels]], Belgium. Since 1873, it has held a famous [[flea market]], known as the ''Old Market''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://visit.brussels/en/place/Flea-market-on-the-Jeu-de-Balle-Square|title=Flea market on the Jeu de Balle Square|website=visit.brussels|language=en|access-date=2018-09-15}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Place du Jeu de Balle market {{!}} Markets from the City of Brussels|url=https://markets.brussels.be/markets/place-du-jeu-de-balle-market?_gl=1*1f16k2k*_ga*MTA4NDY5MTc3NC4xNjI3ODE5ODkw*_ga_CTNTMCN57J*MTYyNzgxOTg5MC4xLjAuMTYyNzgxOTg5MC4w|access-date=2021-08-01|website=markets.brussels.be}}</ref>
The area around the square is characterised by the presence of restaurants and typical Brussels [[Coffeehouse|café]]s.<ref name=":0" /> It can be accessed from [[Brussels-Chapel railway station]], as well as by the [[Brussels Metro|metro]] and ''[[Trams in Brussels|premetro]]'' (underground tram) station [[Porte de Hal metro station|Porte de Hal/Hallepoort]] on lines [[Brussels Metro line 2|2]], [[Brussels tram route 3|3]], [[Brussels tram route 4|4]] and [[Brussels Metro line 6|6]].
==History==
The square was laid out in 1853, at the same time as the neighbouring {{lang|fr|Rue Blaes|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Blaestraat|italic=no}}. As its French name indicates, it was originally destined for the practice of the {{lang|fr|jeu de balle}} or ''{{Interlanguage link multi|balle pelote|fr}}'', a [[ball game]] similar to modern [[handball]].{{sfn|Gérard|2023|p=34}} Though the sport is no longer played much today, it enjoyed immense popularity in Brussels in the 19th century.<ref name=":0" /> The square's current Dutch name, {{lang|nl|Vossenplein}} ("Foxes' Square"), recalls that it was built on the site of a former [[locomotive]] factory,{{sfn|Gérard|2023|p=34}} the ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Société du Renard|fr}}'' (literally the "Fox Company" in English; {{lang|nl|vos}} meaning "fox" in Dutch).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-21 |title=Bruxelles, le 27 avril 1858… |url=https://www.dhnet.be/archives-journal/2011/04/27/bruxelles-le-27-avril-1858-KBYJ3XZHFNE2RC7LA5GVGFBOKQ/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=DHnet |language=fr}}</ref>
In 1873, Brussels' municipal council decided to transfer the ''Old Market'' ({{langx|fr|Vieux Marché|link=no}}, {{langx|nl|Oude Markt|link=no}}), which had until then occupied the [[Place Anneessens|Place Anneessens/Anneessensplein]], and which, in the words of a municipal councillor, "considerably harmed the appearance of the [[Central Boulevards of Brussels|new central boulevards]]", to the Place du Jeu de Balle,{{sfn|Gérard|2023|p=34}} a function the square has kept to this day.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
==Notable buildings==
* The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[parish church]], built from 1854 to 1862 in [[Romanesque Revival architecture|neo-Romanesque]] style, which was once part of the Capuchin convent.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bruxelles Pentagone - Eglise paroissiale de l\'Immaculée Conception - Place du Jeu de Balle - TIHON (FILS) J.|url=http://www.irismonument.be/fr.Bruxelles_Pentagone.Place_du_Jeu_de_Balle.A001.html|access-date=2020-07-01|website=www.irismonument.be}}</ref>
* The former fire station of the Brussels Fire Department was built between 1859 and 1860 by the architect [[Joseph Poelaert]] in [[Eclecticism in architecture|eclectic]] style. Decommissioned in 1982 during the relocation of the fire brigade staff to the {{lang|fr|Avenue de l'Héliport|italic=no}}/{{lang|nl|Helihavenlaan|italic=no}} in the [[Northern Quarter, Brussels|Northern Quarter]], the former barracks now houses apartments, art galleries, and shops, while its former [[portico]] entrance has been refurbished into a café.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bruxelles Pentagone - Ancienne Caserne des Pompiers - Place du Jeu de Balle 50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-67-68-69-70-71-72-73-74-75-76-77-78-79 - POELAERT J.|url=http://www.irismonument.be/fr.Bruxelles_Pentagone.Place_du_Jeu_de_Balle.50.html|access-date=2020-07-01|website=www.irismonument.be}}</ref>
* A concrete [[air raid shelter]] from [[World War II]], equipped with benches, sinks, toilets and [[urinal]]s, is located under the square.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Over de mysterieuze schuilkelder onder het Vossenplein |url=https://www.bruzz.be/samenleving/over-de-mysterieuze-schuilkelder-onder-het-vossenplein-2014-12-03 |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.bruzz.be |language=nl}}</ref> Its entrances were walled up in 1945 and the stairs leading to it were filled in 1960.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bourton |first=William |last2=Robert |first2=François |date=1995-09-09 |title=Une longue et souterraine histoire... |url=https://www.lesoir.be/art/une-longue-et-souterraine-histoire-_t-19950909-Z0A06T.html |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}</ref>
==Events and folklore==
* A flea market takes place on the square every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.<ref name=":0" />
* Every year, on 20 July, the eve of [[Belgian National Day]], the National Ball is held there.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.balnational.be/|title=Le plus grand bal populaire de Belgique, une fête pour tous !|last=National|first=Bal|website=Bal National|language=fr|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://visit.brussels/en/article/21-july-belgium-s-national-day|title=21 July: Belgium’s National Day!|access-date=2018-09-15|language=en}}</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Bruxelles Place du Jeu de Balle 904.jpg|Official names of the square in French and Dutch, followed by popular local names
File:Brussel-Vossenplein (2).jpg|Panoramic view of the square with a [[flea market]] taking place
File:Bruxelles caserne pompiers.jpg|The former fire station of the Brussels Fire Department with its portico entrance. In the background is the [[Palais de Justice, Brussels|Palace of Justice]].
File:Bruxelles, Notre-Dame-Immaculée.JPG|Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
</gallery>
==See also==
{{Portal|Belgium}}
* [[History of Brussels]]
* [[Belgium in the long nineteenth century]]
==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|40em}}
===Bibliography===
* {{cite book|last=Gérard|first=Hervé|title=Bruxelles et ses places|location=Brussels|language=fr|publisher=180° éditions|year=2023|isbn=978-2-940721-32-0}}
* {{cite book|ref={{harvid|Mardaga|1993}}|title=Le Patrimoine monumental de la Belgique: Bruxelles|volume=1B: Pentagone E-M|location=Liège|language=fr|publisher=Pierre Mardaga|year=1993|url=https://monument.heritage.brussels/files/cities/1000/documents/02-vol-b-fr-def_k.pdf|p=256–260}}
==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Place du Jeu de balle/Vossenplein}}
[[Category:Squares in Brussels]]
[[Category:City of Brussels]]
[[Category:19th century in Brussels]]