A stone’s throw from Brussels’ Place and right next to the Stock Exchange, Saint Nicholas Church catches the eye of many tourists. Few enter the church, however. But if they did, they might discover a cannonball embedded in a wall. Accompanied by a stone engraved “1695,” this spot bears witness to the French bombardment of Brussels from August 13-15, 1695. The 17th century was to be a “dark century” in what is now Belgium, due to a series of wars. France was engaged in a policy of expansion, and took…
