Pierre Bruno Bourla

Who was Pierre Bruno Bourla?

Pierre Bruno Bourla was a Paris-born Belgian architect. He was the city architect in Antwerp from 1819 to 1861, and a professor of architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. His most famous work is the Royal Theatre built between 1827 and 1834, known popularly after him as the "Bourla theatre". He also designed new buildings for the Antwerp Academy, built the entrance gate to the city's botanical gardens, expanded the St. Elizabeth's hospital, restored the cathedral, and renovated the town hall.

He died in Antwerp in 1866, and was buried at St. Lawrence's. His body was transferred to the Schoonselhof cemetery in 1930.