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Art & Architecture in the Brussels area
Brussels is the capital of Art Nouveau and magnificent structures throughout the capital city are recognized as "world heritage" by UNESCO. The brilliant creative works of Victor Horta, Paul Hankar, as well as those of other architects, bring pleasure to thousands of visitors who enter the private world of these opulent houses every year.
At the turn of the 19th century Brussels went through a period of unrivaled effervescence. The middle classes, merchants and artists opted to have their houses built in the style in vogue: Art Nouveau, marking the beginning of modern architecture and design.
The Austrian architect Josef Hoffman and painter Gustav Klimt, the French architect Hector Guimard all joined the Belgian architects Victor Horta en Paul Hankar, Henry van de Velde, the furniture designer Serrurier-Bovy and the jeweler Philippe Wolfers to get their inspiration or produce themselves for the first time in a more liberal city.
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Art Deco
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Private building, built between 1924 and 1928, Art Deco style. Architectural elements, carpets, furniture, Art Deco glassware. Important collection of paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 20th century, of which a version of the famous "Fall of Icarus", by Breugel the Old, works by H. Seghers, F. Guardi, Fantin Latour, James Ensor, V. Van Gogh, R. Wauters, G. Van de Woestyne, ...Park of 1,30 ha with the "picturesque garden" by Jules Buyssens (1924), the "labyrinth" (1968) and "the garden of the heart" (1970) by R. Pechère and modern sculptures. |
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A visit to Square Ambiorix will be a delightful experience for the lovers of formal gardens with geometrical layout in almost perfect symmetry. The name of the square is a tribute to the Belgian national hero, the Gaul, Ambiorix, who belonged the resistance of a Belgian Gallic tribe against the rule of Caesar. The Ambiorix Park is placed in the centre of the Belgian capital city, in the heart of the European District. The construction of this site was a result of a town planning scheme of the north-eastern district. |
Castles in the Brussels Area
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The Castle of Seneffe calls on all your senses to discover the new permanent plates collection from the French-speaking Community. "Splendor and intimacy" plunges you in a particular vision of 18th century. |
Abbeys and Monateries
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The farm and the barn are all that remain of the former 13th-century Cistercian abbey. These are remarkable 18th-century buildings. In the barn, one of the largest in the country, visitors can marvel at the monumental roof timbers supported by impressive columns. The stables consist of an enormous hall whose ceiling is a triple brick semicircular vault. The entire construction is listed and has been converted into a seminar and reception centre with a theatre hall. A fruiticum can be visited in the abbey's old orchards. |
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A combination of monastic history and daily life... These guided tours cover different themes: cistercian history, evolution of the abbey throughout the centuries, architectural approach, description of the monks' daily life through various buildings, such as the refectories, the dormitories, the kitchen, the pharmacy, the guest quarters, the workshops, etc. |
Religious
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Cathedral of Saints Michael & Gudule Built on the top of a hill, the cathedral reflects the three stages of the gothic style in its construction. It is a remarkable building because of the remnants of the old Roman collegiate church, its 16th century stained-glass windows, the statues of the apostles in the nave, the baroque style "chair of truth", its treasure and its large organ. |
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Church of Notre Dame du Sablon Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, Notre Dame du Sablon is noted for its four-fold gallery with brightly colored stained-glass windows (illuminated from the inside at night), which make a striking contrast with the gray-white Gothic arches and walls. |
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Church of Notre Dame de la Chapelle Construction began on the church in 1210 and was completed by the end of the 13th century. It marks the period of transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles; the transept and choir are Romanesque-Gothic, while most of the remainder is in the flamboyant Gothic style. Renaissance painter, Pieter Bruegel was buried here. |
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National Holy Heart Basilica Museum for Religious Art (Koekelberg) The fifth biggest church in the world. Exceptional panorama: "Brussels at your feet". |
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Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude The collegiate church of Nivelles was consecrated in 1046 by Wazon, bishop of Liège, in presence of Henry III, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and is the city's masterpiece. The interior of this imposing Roman style sanctuary impresses through its dimensions. |
