The Great Palace is thus an extraordinary
place of convergence where Sciences and Arts,
after centuries of a slow divergence, are obliged
to cohabit. The question of a reunification of
Science and Arts should have arisen in the spirit
of the Parisian ones. It didn't happened!
During all XXth century were opposed
in a fratricidal fight the partisans of Arts,
hoping to give to this place the spirit of the "shows"
of XXth century, and those of Sciences.
The result was the progressive abandonment of
the Palace and its partial destruction in 1940,
at the same time as that of the Law courts of Bruxelles.

The Great Palace after the fire of 1944