Baron Jules Victor Anspach (20 July 1829 – 19 May 1879) was a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

politician and mayor of the City of Brussels, best known for his renovations surrounding the covering of the river Senne (1867–1871). He is buried in Brussels Cemetery. Anspach was born in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

into a family of

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...

n origin. His father François (died 1858) served in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. Jules Anspach studied law at the

Free University of Brussels University of Brussels may refer to several institutions in Brussels, Belgium: Current institutions * Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), a French-speaking university established as a separate entity in 1970 *Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), a D ...

(now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel) becoming a Doctor of Laws. As with many Liberals, Anspach was a Freemason. Like his father, Anspach was elected to the Chamber of Representatives. Anspach rose rapidly, replacing Fontainas as mayor of Brussels in 1863, aged only 34, holding the office until his death in 1879. He effected massive changes to the urban landscape of Brussels, centred on his oeuvre, the

covering of the Senne The covering of the Senne (french: Voûtement de la Senne, nl, Overwelving van de Zenne) was the covering and later diverting of the main river of Brussels, Belgium, and the construction of public buildings and Central Boulevards of Brussels, ...

. His renovations in Brussels paralleled those by

Baron Haussmann Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

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. The modern city remains largely Anspach's creation in its basic form. The Boulevard Anspach/Anspachlaan, one of the central boulevards created by his massive renovations of the city, and the main artery in downtown Brussels today, bears his name.

See also

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Further reading