The
Market Square
In former times, the Town hall and the
Belfry were constructed in this square; their foundations
were exposed in 1979. A commemoration plate and a drawing of
the ground-plan were built in the market pavingstones. The
gothic step-gable (16th century) of the Convent of
the Grey Sisters is on the east side of the market and the
"middle-class" gables of the business houses (19th-20th
century) are on the west side. In 1979 the ancient
market-place was given an new outlook with a promenade and
greenery.
The Town Hall
on the south side of the market square
The "Old Town
Hall" in Louis XV-style is a magnificent example of the
18th century architecture and well worth a visit.
It was built in 1769-1771. The fronton in the gable is
surmounted by the escutcheon of Karel Theodoor (1724-1799);
he was duke of Neuburg, elector of Bavaria and lord of the
Land of Wijnendaele and of the town of Roeselare. The gallery
with the painted portraits of the mayors of Roeselare from
1830 till now is in the "magistrates’ room"
downstairs. The portraits of the archdukes Albrecht and
Isabella are in the vestibule; in the hall upstairs, are a.o.
those of empress Maria Theresia and of the "blind"
representative of the people and mayor of Rumbeke Alexander
Rodenbach. In the council-chamber, which overlooks the
market, there are some prizes of Rome : of sculptors (Clement
Carbon and Josué Dupon) and of painters (Désiré Mergaert,
Ferdinand Callebert) and some works of the painter Alfons
Blomme, winner of the Prize of Rome. In the conference hall
of the "new Town Hall", completed in 1924 with tall
hall tower, there are two mural paintings : the map of
Roeselare from Sanderus’ Flandria illustrata (1635) and
an evocationpanel of the Grand men from Roeselare by Gaston
Vallaeys.
