NATO Star Monument

NATO Star Sculpture is a rusted steel sculpture located in the front courtyard of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Although NATO’s official emblem features a compass motif, this sculpture, known as the “NATO Star,” is one of the organization’s most distinctive and recognizable symbols. The sculpture is positioned surrounded by the flags of the 28 member states at the time of its installation.^【1】

^{NATO Star Sculpture} (NATO)

NATO relocated to Belgium in 1967. The first NATO headquarters in Brussels was designed for temporary use, and no decorative elements were incorporated into the building’s exterior during its initial construction.

In late 1969, the North Atlantic Council decided to make the Evere site NATO’s permanent headquarters. Following this decision, the issue of enhancing the visual prestige of the empty courtyard at the main entrance came to the fore. The NATO Working Group initially rejected a proposal to construct a large protective canopy over the main entrance. Instead, it requested alternative designs from consulting architects for the arrangement of the front courtyard, known as the Cour d’Honneur (Honor Courtyard). At its meeting on 17 March 1970, the Council selected the proposed star motif.

Originally planned with a budget of 1.5 million Belgian francs, the sculpture was erected in mid-August 1971. Its official unveiling reception took place on 10 September 1971.^【2】

^{Female Officers and the NATO Star Sculpture} (NATO)

At the suggestion of the Greek representative on the Working Group, Belgian architect Raymond Huyberechts designed a motif inspired by the NATO logo. The design consists of a stylized rose des vents (wind rose or compass rose) intersected by two circles representing Europe and North America. The sculpture’s reddish-brown hue was planned to be achieved through controlled oxidation in a factory environment, ensuring resistance to atmospheric effects.

The NATO Star Sculpture stands approximately 7 meters high. Its width varies between 4.2 and 7 meters. It is also reported to weigh approximately 6 metric tons.^【3】

As part of NATO’s relocation to its new headquarters in 2017, the NATO Star Sculpture was moved to its new location opposite Boulevard Leopold III. The relocation was not a simple process due to the sculpture’s weight.^【4】

Physical preparations for the relocation began on Wednesday, 25 May 2016. To minimize disruption to the local community, it was decided that the sculpture would be moved during nighttime hours. This process was carried out in coordination with local authorities.

On the night of Saturday, 28 May 2016, the NATO Star Sculpture was removed from the old NATO headquarters and transported to its new location at the new headquarters.