This article needs additional citations for
verification. (February 2022) |
Location | City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
---|---|
Coordinates | 50°50′45″N 04°21′11″E / 50.84583°N 4.35306°E |
The Rue du Marché aux Fromages (French: [ʁy dy maʁ.ʃe o fʁɔ.maʒ]) or Kaasmarkt ( Dutch), meaning "Cheese Market Street", now also known by its nickname the Rue des Pittas or Pitastraat ("Pitta Street"), is a historic street in Brussels, Belgium, near the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (Brussels' main square). [1] [2] [3] It is lined with numerous pitta bars, pizzerias and cocktail bars.
Two blind alleys come from this street: the Impasse du Dragon/Draeckengang (currently the Impasse de la Poupée/Poppegang), and the Impasse du Poivre/Pepergang (now called the Impasse de la Cuve/Kuipgang).
The Rue du Marché aux Fromages/Kaasmarkt ("Cheese Market Street") used to be called the Smaelbeek in the 13th century. Then, it was renamed the Rue du Cercueil/Kistenstraat ("Coffin Street") before being changed back to its current name. It is today sometimes known under the moniker the Rue des Pitta/Pitastraat ("Pitta Street") due to the Greek restaurants found along it. [1]
Until the 16th century, cheese, onions and figs were traded on a open-air marketplace called the Caesmerct (meaning "Cheese Market" in Old Dutch). The oldest place-name would have been Smaelbeek (1234), after the artificial stream which, according to historians, flowed there. Nowadays, it thought to be more likely that the stream ran through the block between the Rue du Marché aux Fromages and the Rue de la Violette/Violetstraat and that the Smaelbeek referred to the latter street.
The market stalls apparently hindered the shops on the street. In 1509, the authorities had posts with the Burgundian Cross placed to limit their space. In 1615, butchers were allowed to participate in the market, with fines being imposed as a precaution against insults or fights. Carpenters and wood turners took over in the 18th century. Their chairs, ladders and coffins on display gave the street all kinds of nicknames, such as Leerestroet and Kistenstroet. The latter name was still in use in 1900, long after the coffins had been banned from the street.
In the 1970s, the street did not have a great reputation, with quite a few nightclubs and drugs. Greek immigrants brought about a revival by opening pitta bars, a concept that Belgians were completely unfamiliar with at the time. The first was Athens in 1979. By cooping up together, they were better able to attract the attention of tourists. In the 1990s, they invested in visual Hellenisation of the street. In order to respect the rules of the UNESCO zone, all neon signs, signboards, columns and caryatids were removed in 2012.
The street has many preserved old houses, most of which were rebuilt after the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. Some underwent major changes in the 19th century but without losing their original appearance. Notable examples include:
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (February 2022) |
Location | City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
---|---|
Coordinates | 50°50′45″N 04°21′11″E / 50.84583°N 4.35306°E |
The Rue du Marché aux Fromages (French: [ʁy dy maʁ.ʃe o fʁɔ.maʒ]) or Kaasmarkt ( Dutch), meaning "Cheese Market Street", now also known by its nickname the Rue des Pittas or Pitastraat ("Pitta Street"), is a historic street in Brussels, Belgium, near the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (Brussels' main square). [1] [2] [3] It is lined with numerous pitta bars, pizzerias and cocktail bars.
Two blind alleys come from this street: the Impasse du Dragon/Draeckengang (currently the Impasse de la Poupée/Poppegang), and the Impasse du Poivre/Pepergang (now called the Impasse de la Cuve/Kuipgang).
The Rue du Marché aux Fromages/Kaasmarkt ("Cheese Market Street") used to be called the Smaelbeek in the 13th century. Then, it was renamed the Rue du Cercueil/Kistenstraat ("Coffin Street") before being changed back to its current name. It is today sometimes known under the moniker the Rue des Pitta/Pitastraat ("Pitta Street") due to the Greek restaurants found along it. [1]
Until the 16th century, cheese, onions and figs were traded on a open-air marketplace called the Caesmerct (meaning "Cheese Market" in Old Dutch). The oldest place-name would have been Smaelbeek (1234), after the artificial stream which, according to historians, flowed there. Nowadays, it thought to be more likely that the stream ran through the block between the Rue du Marché aux Fromages and the Rue de la Violette/Violetstraat and that the Smaelbeek referred to the latter street.
The market stalls apparently hindered the shops on the street. In 1509, the authorities had posts with the Burgundian Cross placed to limit their space. In 1615, butchers were allowed to participate in the market, with fines being imposed as a precaution against insults or fights. Carpenters and wood turners took over in the 18th century. Their chairs, ladders and coffins on display gave the street all kinds of nicknames, such as Leerestroet and Kistenstroet. The latter name was still in use in 1900, long after the coffins had been banned from the street.
In the 1970s, the street did not have a great reputation, with quite a few nightclubs and drugs. Greek immigrants brought about a revival by opening pitta bars, a concept that Belgians were completely unfamiliar with at the time. The first was Athens in 1979. By cooping up together, they were better able to attract the attention of tourists. In the 1990s, they invested in visual Hellenisation of the street. In order to respect the rules of the UNESCO zone, all neon signs, signboards, columns and caryatids were removed in 2012.
The street has many preserved old houses, most of which were rebuilt after the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. Some underwent major changes in the 19th century but without losing their original appearance. Notable examples include: