For some unexplainable reason, I like statues of winged, mythological creatures. So, I was eager to understand the winged lions on the Palais de Justice building. Apparently, there isn’t any other than the architect, Joseph Poelaert, also liked them. He spent ten years designing the 19th century’s largest building and nearly drove Brussels to bankruptcy during construction. Outraged citizens nearly destroyed it during a riot when it opened in 1883. Then he was cursed as skieven architek, which means crooked architect. The phrase is still used today as an insult.
