Jan van Ruysbroeck (architect)

The Hotel de Ville, Brussels

Jan van Ruysbroeck (also known as Jan van den Berghe) was a Flemish architect of the early 15th century (the dates of his birth and death are unknown). He served as official architect to the Duke of Brabant.^[1]His best known work was the belfry of the Brussels Town Hall (Stadhuis or Hôtel de Ville). The Gothic building, which stands in the city's Grand Place (Grote Markt), is widely regarded as a masterpiece of medieval European secular architecture.^[2] It was designed by Jacob van Thienen some time around 1402 and van Ruysbroek's tower was added between 1444–1463.

Other works by van Ruysbroeck include:

• the fountain at the Hospital of Our Lady in Oudenaarde (1443–1445);
• the tower of the Church of Ste-Gertrude, Leuven, (completed 1453);
• part of the Church of St-Peter, Anderlecht (1479–1485);
• probably the towers of the St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, Brussels (1470–1485).

References

1. André De Vries (2003). Brussels: A Cultural and Literary History. Signal Books. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-902669-47-2.
2. Paul F. State (16 April 2015). Historical Dictionary of Brussels. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 208–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7921-8.