BRUXELLA 1238

(Rue de la Bourse)

   Bruxella 1238 is a small archaeological museum that occupies the site of a former Franciscan convent. The convent was founded in 1238 and the buildings associated with the religious order grew to include a church, cloister, library, infirmary, and brewery together with a vegetable garden that extended from rue Tabora across place de la Bourse. The convent was closed during the wars of religion and the buildings were damaged during the bombardment of 1695. All traces of the structures vanished by the 18th century, at which time the site served as the butter market and continued as such until construction of the Bourse.

   Municipal road construction began in 1988 alongside place de la Bourse and archaeological digs uncovered ruins of the former church and convent together with pottery shards, other artifacts, and many graves, including that of John I, duke of Brabant, who died in 1294. These are displayed at the museum.