Robert Schuman Roundabout
The Robert Schuman Roundabout, usually shortened to the Schuman Roundabout, and sometimes called Robert Schuman Square, is a roundabout in the European Quarter of Brussels, Belgium. It lies at the end of the Rue [de la Loi|Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat] and serves as a focus for major institutions of the European Union. It is named after Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, the Council of Europe and NATO, and gives its name to the surrounding district and Brussels-Schuman railway station.
Location and buildings
The Robert Schuman Roundabout is in the centre of Brussels' European Quarter. The major buildings next to it are the Berlaymont building, the Justus Lipsius building and numerous other EU offices.Accessibility and future
The roundabout is above the eastern end of the metro segment of Schuman station. In 2016, the station was renovated to connect it by rail to Brussels Airport via the Schuman-Josaphat tunnel. There are already a web of rail and road tunnels running under and around the roundabout. The area is to see some major rebuilding as EU offices are converted into shops and other civilian uses and the roundabout will be converted into one of three pedestrian squares. The theme of the new Schuman Square will concentrate on "policy and politics".Roads meeting at the roundabout
- The Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat runs west–north–west towards central Brussels, one-way. It also continues east–south–east for a short distance towards the western end of the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark. The bulk of the traffic on this main carriageway avoids the roundabout by taking the tunnel underneath, the road becoming the Avenue de Tervueren/Tervurenlaan and heading out of Brussels east/east–south–east towards Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and eventually Tervuren.
- The Avenue de Cortenbergh/Kortenberglaan leads north–east towards Schaerbeek and the Place de Jamblinne de Meux/De Jamblinne de Meuxplein. The Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat tunnel also follows this route, leading out towards Diamant [premetro station] and the E40.
- The Rue Archimède/Archimedestraat leads north towards the Square Ambiorix/Ambiorixsquare.
- The Avenue d'Auderghem/Oudergemselaan runs south–east through the middle of Etterbeek, towards the La Chasse junction and Auderghem.
- The Rue Froissart/Froissartstraat is one of the smaller roads leaving the roundabout, heading towards the Place Jourdan/Jourdanplein.