We think of the Constitution as words on paper. In Brussels, it also exists as a monument: the Congress Column. 

Twenty years after the 1830 independence, this monument is erected to tell the story of the country’s birth. Just step a little closer and history comes to life. 

The key dates of the Belgian Revolution are engraved in stone. So are the names of the members of the National Congress and the Provisional Government. Even the main articles of the Constitution appear on the column. And at the very top stands a statue of Belgium’s first king. 

At the four corners of the base, four statues watch over this legacy. They represent the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution: freedom of religion, association, education and the press. 

At the front, two bronze lions stand guard. Sculpted by Eugène Simonis – the same artist who gave his name to the metro station –, they have watched over these freedoms for more than 160 years. 

Behind a small bronze door, a spiral staircase of 193 steps winds its way to the top of the column. Another way to discover this monument... from the inside. 

In 1922, a new symbol is added to this place of remembrance: the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at the foot of the column. From then on, the column no longer commemorates only the birth of Belgium. It also pays tribute to those who defended it. 

Next time you pass the Congrès/Congres stop, look up. The lions are still there. The four Freedoms too. A quiet reminder of the principles Belgium is still built on today.