Small Ring, Brussels
History
History
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In the 14th century, Brussels had a [second set of defensive walls](/wiki/Second_walls_of_Brussels "Second walls of Brussels") built to accommodate the expanding city. There were eight gates built along its length, many of which give their names to squares and intersections along the course of the road. The walls proved fairly useless in combat, not able to prevent either the French [bombardment of Brussels](/wiki/Bombardment_of_Brussels_%281695%29 "Bombardment of Brussels (1695)") in 1695, or French troops from [seizing the city](/wiki/Siege_of_Brussels "Siege of Brussels") in 1746 as part of the [War of the Austrian Succession](/wiki/War_of_the_Austrian_Succession "War of the Austrian Succession"), leaving the defensive works in ruins. By that time, siege was no longer an important part of warfare. Due to the growth of commerce and improved roads, the fortifications did little more than frustrate transit into and out of the city.

In 1782, Emperor [Joseph II](/wiki/Joseph_II%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor "Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor") ordered the dismantling of most fortifications in the [Low Countries](/wiki/Low_Countries "Low Countries"), including those of Brussels. The dismantling work of the exterior defences began in the east of the city. In 1795, when [Republican France](/wiki/Republican_France "Republican France") invaded and [annexed](/wiki/Annexation "Annexation") the Low Countries, the demolitions were stopped, not resuming until an order from [Napoleon](/wiki/Napoleon "Napoleon") in 1804\. The [Laeken Gate](/wiki/Laeken_Gate "Laeken Gate") was destroyed in 1808\. By an [ordinance](/wiki/Ordonnance_%28French_constitutional_law%29 "Ordonnance (French constitutional law)") on 19 May 1810, the French Emperor ordered the second walls demolished and replaced by boulevards with a [median](/wiki/Median_strip "Median strip") in the centre. The fall of the [First French Empire](/wiki/First_French_Empire "First French Empire") prevented the project's immediate execution.

With the return of stability, in 1818, authorities organised a contest for plans to demolish the ramparts and replace them with boulevards suited to the exigencies of contemporary life in the city. The proposal of Jean\-Baptiste Vifquain was ultimately chosen. It involved construction of [squares](/wiki/Town_square "Town square") and boulevards, with spaces to walk and two to four rows of trees lining the route, a main road and parallel side roads. A barrier with a ditch running its length was still installed, however, and [toll](/wiki/Tolling_%28law%29 "Tolling (law)") pavilions built at the entrances, to allow continued taxation of commercial goods entering the city. The work was to be financed by selling the land that was freed up, although this took over twenty years to do.

In the 1950s, with pressure from the [automobile](/wiki/Automobile "Automobile"), new plans to improve traffic flow were implemented, partly due to the 1958 Brussels World's Fair ([Expo 58](/wiki/Expo_58 "Expo 58")). Later, tunnels were dug, and one of the main lines of the [Brussels Metro](/wiki/Brussels_Metro "Brussels Metro") now runs primarily underneath the Small Ring.


What was the result of the ordinance on 19 May 1810, regarding the demolition of the second walls?