Considered to be Lille's finest building, with its facade of red brick, grey stone and carved golden stone, Vieille Bourse was built in 1651-3 as a Stock Exchange for mercantile trading. It is actually composed of 24 houses with shops on the ground floor, built round an arcaded interior courtyard that is now used by second-hand booksellers.
Fantastic...looks like a place to wander about all day.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is beautiful! Hard to imagine why people like glass and steel building.
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm always in awe when I see buildings like this. Even better is the fact that this was built in 1651 and the first Europeans only settled in South Africa in 1652.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh, Nat . . . . I live adventures in this life of mine through YOU, and I LOVE these pictures. The architecture is so beautiful. One day (Lord, hopefully soon), I'll be able to see with my very own eyes some of these wonderful places. Until then, I'm so glad to know you and see the world through your eyes. LOVE IT!!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, Nat! I have missed visiting you!
ReplyDeleteOver the top and very Baroque, I love it! I'm a suck for elaborate architecture and intricate details. x
ReplyDeleteBeautifully shown Nat. The detail and adornments on this building are amazing, I find it hard to get my head around the fact that it was built in 1651..Perth is such a new state, there's nothing over the 200 yr mark!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I absolutely love the gutter gargoyle in the last photo.
ReplyDeleteWow, really nice photos, Nat. The architecture is splendid.
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