page_title: Place du Luxembourg
section_title: 1980s to present
hierarchical_section_title: Place du Luxembourg / History / 1980s to present
caption_attribution_description: English: Place de Luxembourg, Brussels, Belgium. Popular spot for after work drinks. June 2010. Notice the sections of the Berlin Wall on temporary display in the middle of the square.
context_page_description: The Place du Luxembourg or Luxemburgplein, meaning "Luxembourg Square", is a square in the European Quarter of Brussels. It is better known by local European bureaucrats and journalists by one of its nicknames, Place Lux or Plux. It is served by Brussels-Luxembourg Station.
context_section_description: The station was the central feature of the square for much of its existence. However, with the construction of the Espace Leopold (which now houses the European Parliament) starting in 1989, the character of the square changed significantly. Designs changed frequently, amidst much legal and political wrangling, but ultimately the tracks of the previously open air station were covered over by the flagstone mall that is now seen outside the parliament. The bulk of the station building itself was torn down in 2004, and rebuilt underground, leaving only the central entrance which now serves as an information office. By 2008, the European Parliament complex was complete.
  Residents' associations and cultural heritage promoters have been critical of many aspects of the construction of the parliament and redesign of the train station. Some believe that the scale of the complex is simply too large for the area, and that efforts have not been adequate to integrate it with its largely neoclassical surroundings. While many have praised the originality and professionalism of the design of the buildings, the design has also faced criticism for being too large, cold, and remote.
  In recent years, the Place du Luxembourg has become a hotspot for afterwork nightlife activity, primarily on Thursday and Friday nights. The square is colloquially known as Place Lux or Plux. The trash left on the square by the Thursday night revellers has become an irritant for local residents, and Brussels politicians have threatened to shut down the party.
caption: The square is a popular after-work meeting place in the European Quarter.
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