Wetstraat/Rue de la Loi

Infobox street
name = Law Street
native_name = Rue de la Loi fr icon
Wetstraat nl icon


caption = The street, looking west, from the Berlaymont (2006)
former_names =
postal_code =
addresses =
length =
width =
location = City of Brussels, Brussels Capital-Region, Belgium
client =
owner =
current_tenants =
sector = Public
category = National road
coordinates = coord|50|50|39|N|4|22|31|E|display=inline,title|type:landmark_source:frwiki
commissioning_date =
construction_start_date =
completion_date =
inauguration_date =
demolition_date =
main_contractor =
cost =

Law Street (Wetstraat in Dutch and Rue de la Loi in French) a principle road running through central and eastern Brussels (Belgium) which is famous due to the presence of several notable governmental buildings (of Belgium and the European Union). The road runs from Koningsstraat/Rue Royale (coord|50.8468|N|4.3625|E|display=inline|type:landmark_region:BE), almost in the centre of Brussels, to Schuman roundabout (coord|50.8419|N|4.3859|E|display=inline|type:landmark_region:BE), in its European quarter. It forms the first (westerly) part of the N3 motorway that runs to Aachen, Germany.

The term "Wetstraat" or "Rue de la Loi" is often used in the Belgian media because not only the Belgian Federal Parliament is at the beginning of this street, but also the office of the prime minister at number 16. At the far end is the Berlaymont building on the Schuman roundabout and Cinquantenaire beyond that. Shortly before the roundabout, the central part of the road sinks underground into the subterranean Belliard Tunnel (the continuation of the N3 motorway) that runs under the roundabout and Cinquantenaire.

List of buildings

The start of the street, opposite the Belgian Parliament building (on the Palais de la Nation/Natieplein), forms the northern boundary of Brussels Park. The "Théâtre Royal du Parc" is also situated here.

* 16: Official residence of the Prime Minister of Belgium
* 41: European Commission
* 56: European Commission
* 86: European Commission
* 102: European Commission
* 115: Résidence Palace, press centre and European Council building
* 130: European Commission
* 145: Lex building, Council of the European Union
* 170: Charlemagne building, foreign affairs departments of the European Commission
* 175: Justus Lipsius building, headquarters of the Council of the European Union
* 200: Berlaymont building, headquarters of the European Commission

Metro

There are four Brussels metro stations located along its length: Parc/Park (at its beginning), Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet (at the junction with Avenue des Arts/Kunstlaan on the Brussels small ring), Maelbeek/Maalbeek and finally Schuman (at its end under the roundabout). These are all along the 1A/1B metro lines which run under the road, with line 2 intersecting at Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet. Schuman is also a heavy rail station.

Redevelopment

As part of plans to improve the image of the European Quarter, the eastern part of the Rue de la Loi running through the quarter will rebuilding (subject to high architectural standards) of EU offices with more space given over to housing and commercial services. The road will also be reduced from four lanes to two, with the tunnel entrance being covered as far as Résidence Palace.

ee also

* Small ring (Brussels)
* Brussels and the European Union
* Leopold Quarter

External links