Black Tower (Brussels)
The Black Tower (, ) is a medieval tower in Brussels, Belgium. It is one of the best conserved remains of the first fortifications of Brussels, built at the start of the 13th century. It is located behind St. Catherine's Church on /. This site is served by the metro stations Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijne and De Brouckère on lines 1 and 5 of the Brussels metro. The Black Tower is notable for being one single medieval tower surrounded by modern-day buildings. This odd sight has made it a popular tourist destination. History. The Black Tower was built  in the early 13th century as part of the first fortifications of Brussels. When the city's second fortifications were built at the end of the 14th century, its original function became obsolete. Historians believe it had by then become private property. This would explain why it survived so many centuries unharmed. In the 16th century, unlike other sections of the wall, the tower survived the creation of a new dock for the inland port of Brussels on the site where St. Catherine's Church is now located. Around the same time, it was transformed into a tavern named "In  the Tower". In 1888, when the entire street was sanitised, then-mayor Charles Buls saved the tower from demolition. Architect Victor Jamaer restored the building and reconstructed the gable and the roof, as well as the bent radius. In the 19th century, it was surrounded by a clothing store. On 1 February 1937, it officially became a state's building and was classified as a historical monument. Nowadays it is surrounded by a hotel with modern-day supplies. A plaque reminds passers-by of its historical importance. In popular culture. The tower is subject of an album in the Belgian  comic book series "The Adventures of Nero" by Marc Sleen. In the story "De Zwarte Toren" ("The Black Tower") (1983) Nero visits Brussels and discovers mysterious things going on in the Black Tower. Based on this story the proprietors of the Marc Sleen Museum made it part of a special "Nero route", which takes visitors to several parts of Brussels that play an important role in certain "Nero" albums. Sources. City of Brussels