La Louve / Le Sac / La Brouette, Brussels

This ensemble of guild-houses on Grand Place is noteworthy for having partly resisted the French bombardment of 1695 when the rest of the square's edifices laid in ruins.

La Louve ("The She-Wolf"), originally home to the influential Oath of Archers, was built in 1690, though only 6 years later, its facade was rebuilt with a horizontal cornice, surmounted by a base where a statue was placed of a Phoenix rising from the ashes, symbol of the reconstruction of the city after the bombardment. The decorated pediment holds a relief of Apollo firing at a python, while below are four statues representing Truth, Falsehood, Peace and Discord. Finally, above the door, a charming bas-relief represents Romulus and Remus suckling the Roman she-wolf.

Le Sac ("The Bag"), was the house of carpenters and coopers whose tools decorate its facade since the 15th century. Built in stone in 1644 and partly spared by the bombardment, it was rebuilt in 1697 by carpenter Antoine Pastorana, who added the upper ornamentation resembling the flashy legs of Baroque furniture. Look out for the frieze above the door, which depicts a man taking something out of a bag ("sac").

La Brouette ("The Wheelbarrow"), was the house of tallow merchants but takes its name from the faint gold wheelbarrows etched into the cartouches above the door. Built in stone in 1644, rebuilt in 1697, and restored in 1912, when the figure of Saint Giles – the guild's patron saint – was placed on top. For now, the ground floor is occupied by a café.