As promised in my Rail Photo of the Month for November 2019, I am highlighting another photo from Brussels.  The tram seen here is the same one as in my last post, but now we are looking at the rear of the tram after it passed my vantage point in Place Royal.  You can read more about this specific tram in the post linked above.

The Place Royal was constructed between 1775 and 1782.  Originally, the square was the site of the market that was adjacent to the former Palace of Coudenberg.  The Palace de Coudenberg burned down in February of 1731, and funds were not available to reconstruct the area for 40 years.  Today, some of the most significant museums in the entire city, including the Musical Instruments Museum and the BELvue Museum are located in the vicinity of this square.  Having only about 8 hours total on my layover between flights at the Brussels Airport on this particular day, I visited these museums due to my interest in their collections and proximity to each other, the Grand Place, and the Brussels-Central Station. Conveniently enough, tram tracks also run through the square and the notable architecture in and along the streets that converge here make for some interesting photography opportunities.

For starters, the tram tracks divide in order to ring the statue of Godfrey of Bouillon, who led the first crusade in 1096.  To the right of the tram, we can see the Hôtel des Brasseurs, which now houses part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.  Looking down towards the south and the background of the picture, some of the building facades along Rue de la Régence, a main thoroughfare are visible.  The Rue de la Régence leads to the Palais de Justice.  At the time of its construction in 1883, it was the largest building in the world and it remains one of the most visible landmarks in the city due to its size.