Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Brussels Horta Culture

Led by Victor Horta, the dawn of Art Nouveau architecture at the end of the 19th century brought new glory to the Belgian capital. Renée Cordes offers a mini-tour of Brussels’ often underappreciated Schaerbeek neighbourhood

Located halfway between NATO headquarters and the European quarter, the district known as Schaerbeek in northern Brussels is full of Art Nouveau gems. “Schaerbeek was incorporated at the same time that Art Nouveau was coming into fashion,” explains Isabelle Pauthier, director of heritage research and urban action group ARAU (arau.org), which has been offering guided architectural tours of Brussels for over three decades.

Start your own tour at Maison Autrique (266 Chaussée de Haecht, tel. (0)2 215 6600), the first manor-house designed by Horta in 1893 (and recently converted into a museum). A star – and a movement that would change Brussels – was born. Art Nouveau flourished in about 15 European cities between 1890-1910, capitalising on the construction capacities of new industrial materials including cast iron and glass and drawing inspiration from a decorative arts revival from England’s Arts and Crafts movement.

Continue your Schaerbeek tour on Avenue Louis Bertrand. The house at No. 43, designed by Gustave Strauven, once a draughtsman in Horta’s office, is striking with its white-glazed brick façade and floral motifs on the base of the cellar-kitchen window. Nos. 55-61 and 63-67, also by Strauven, are a rare example of Art Nouveau apartment buildings.

Turn right at rue Josaphat (No. 229-281) for a glimpse of Municipal School No. 1, designed by Henri Jacobs. Resembling a covered playground, the interior is decorated with frescoes by Schaerbeek-born artist T. Privat-Livemont, best known for his advertising posters.

Wind your way north towards Place Colignon, home of Schaerbeek’s stately Town Hall, and several attractive houses thanks to a façade contest sponsored by municipal authorities in 1897. Heading towards Avenue Maréchal Foch, the houses at Nos. 7, 9 and 11, built in 1904, 1902 and 1906, respectively, were also designed by Jacobs. His own house at No. 9 still bears a decorative plate on the front door with his name. The elaborate floral-motif sgraffito is the work of Privat-Livemont.

Stop for a refreshment at De Ultieme Hallucinatie (“The Ultimate Hallucination,” 316 rue Royale, tel. (0)2 217 0614), technically it is in SainteJosse-ten-Noode but it’s on the border of Schaerbeek. Originally built in 1850 in neo-classical style but converted into Art Nouveau-style in 1904 by Paul Hamesse; it reopened in December 1981 after a further renovation and restoration. There’s a semi-fancy restaurant in the Greek-motifed Empire room in the front, and a cosy brasserie-tavern in the former garden.

Head north towards the Place Eugene Verboekhoven, which leads into a cluster of Art Nouveau houses on Avenue Eugène Demolder. The houses at Nos. 22-26 and 27 are by François Hemelsoet, who resided at No. 22 Avenue Princesse Elisabeth nearby.

Walk down Avenue Lambermont towards Parc Josaphat, a sprawling green oasis inaugurated by King Leopold II in 1904. Legend has it the park was named after a pilgrim who returned from Palestine in 1574 and was reminded of the Josaphat valley in the Holy Land.

On the other side of Josaphat, end your tour in style with a meal at the Brasserie Cochaux (2 Avenue Gustave Latinis, tel. (0)2 242 1767), a stunning-yet-comfy Art Nouveau eatery open every day that serves up hearty Belgian fare in ornate wood and mirrored surroundings. Can life get any better than this?

Culture vultures

Other Art Nouveau

■ Horta Museum (23-25 rue Américaine, tel. (0)2 543 0490), the twin townhouses where the grand master lived and worked until 1919 are an exquisite example of art nouveau.

■ Café Les deux Paons (77 rue d’Albanie, tel. (0)472 216 222) in St. Gilles was built in 1903 by François Helmelsoet and recently restored by art enthusiast Olivia Delwart and converted into an adorable café that’s already a neighbourhood favourite.

■ Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinnée (20 rue des Sables, tel. (0)2 219 1980). Built by Horta in 1906, the former Wacquez textile warehouse is home to Brussels’ comic strip museum; the main floor features a small permanent exhibition on Art Nouveau and a pleasant brasserie.

■ The Old England department store, built in 1899 of girded steel and glass by Paul Saintenoy, opened in 2000 as the Musical Instruments Museum (2 rue Montagne de la Cour, tel. (0)2 545 0130). Take the wrought-iron lift to the top-floor café and savour the view.

Image Alamy

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