These pretty, formal gardens were laid out in 1890 and are a charming spot to stop for a rest. On top of the railings that enclose the gardens are 48 bronze statuettes by Art Nouveau artist Paul Hankar, each one representing a different medieval guild of the city.

At the back of the gardens is a fountain built to commemorate Counts Egmont and Hornes, the martyrs who led a Dutch uprising against the tyrannical rule of the Spanish under Philip II, and were beheaded in the Grand Place in 1568.

On either site of the fountain are 12 further statues of fifteenth and sixteenth century figures, including Bernard van Orley, whose stained-glass windows grace the city’s cathedral. Gerhard Mercator, the Flemish geographer and mapmaker, whose sixteenth century projection of the world forms the basis of most modern maps, is also featured.