The Bloemardin: Brussels’ Forgotten Rebel Spirit

If you’ve ever wandered past Brussels City Hall, you might have noticed a small statue on its façade — a woman’s figure perched on the second floor, just to the right of the central window on Rue de la Tête d’Or. Her name? The Bloemardinne. And behind that quiet masonry hides one of Brussels’ most fascinating, and misunderstood, women.

Heilwige Bloemard, known as “La Bloemardin(n)e,” was born in Brussels at the end of the 13th century. She became an influential voice in a mystical movement known as the “Free Spirit.” The idea was radical for its time: it rejected hierarchical obedience and celebrated the freedom of human desire — both spiritual and physical. Think of it as a medieval current of thought that blurred the lines between faith, sensuality, and self‑liberation. Needless to say, the Church authorities of the Middle Ages were not amused.

Bloemardinne was not just a mystic — she was a public intellectual, likely of noble birth, known for her intelligence and captivating speech. Her writings described a divine love that embraced sensual experience rather than condemning it. But a woman spreading such ideas in a patriarchal society was bound to attract trouble. Her movement’s emphasis on female autonomy and spiritual independence was quickly branded as heresy — and her disciples, as immoral.

Centuries later, in 1975, Brussels feminists from the collective La Porte ouverte paid tribute to this forgotten figure. On the 640th anniversary of her death, they placed flowers beneath City Hall and installed a plaque declaring her “Brussels’ first feminist.”

Nearly seven centuries on, the statue still stands there — silent, enigmatic, and a little bit subversive. A reminder that the fight for autonomy over one’s body, voice, and desire has roots far deeper in Brussels’ soil than one might think.

Visits of Brussels City Hall are possible several days a week, with both self-guided tours (with a visioguide) and guided visits including access to the tower on certain days. Booking in advance online is strongly recommended.​

Useful info :

• Practical info and opening hours (visioguide route, prices, access): https://www.bruxelles.be/hotel-de-ville​
• Visioguide and visit concept: https://www.bruxelles.be/visioguides-lhotel-de-ville​
• Museum/visit page with booking link and languages available: https://www.brusselsmuseums.be/fr/musees/hotel-de-ville-de-bruxelles​
• Online reservations (time slot booking, including with museum pass): https://www.museumpassmusees.be/fr/offre/musee/b2ba90a3-cc6c-4d47-95d4-a385f98f2e85/lhotel-de-ville-de-bruxelles