Square du Petit Sablon Brussels

The Square du Petit Sablon is one of the most charming small parks in central Brussels. It was laid out in the nineteenth century on the site of an old cemetery and has retained its elegant neo-Renaissance character ever since. Around the central fountain stand forty-eight bronze statuettes representing the old Brussels guilds, and around them rise ten larger statues of sixteenth-century humanists and politicians. The combination of art, history and geometric garden design makes it a refined green oasis right next to the busy arts quarter.

Accessibility is good. All main paths are level and paved with a smooth surface, perfect for a wheelchair, mobility scooter or rollator. The entrances are at street level without thresholds, and the paths between the flower beds are wide enough for comfortable passing. There are several benches scattered across the square. There is no public toilet on the square itself; the nearest accessible toilets are in the cafes around the Grand Sablon or at the Magritte Museum.

Parking in this neighbourhood is challenging; preferably use the Sablon underground car park a few dozen metres from the square, which has a lift and accessible spaces. The square is also reachable by tram or bus, with stops on level pavements. Combine a brief rest here with a visit to the Magritte Museum or the Notre-Dame du Sablon a few minutes' wheeling away.