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Parc Leopold

admin — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:05:26 +0000

Parc Leopold

Park Leopold’s Main entrance on rue Belliard just beyond the Parliament buildings. Set on the edge of the new European Union infrastructures and following on from the Maelbeek Valley, which stretches from the woods at La Cambre and the lakes in Ixelles to square Marie-Louise, this public park is a haven of peace and tranquility in the midst of the bustle of the urban thoroughfare that is rue Belliard.

Location of Parc Leopold:

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Photos of Parc Leopold:

One end of the Park Leopold pond

The district is currently undergoing a total transformation as is obvious from the impressive mass of the Hémicycle Européen.

The park was originally designed to be used as a zoo, hence the inscriptions visible on each side of the main entrance.

The park was opened in the middle of the 19C and given its current name to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Independence.

This pleasant, peaceful spot has a lake on which it is not unusual to see herons. The park lies on a steep slope and is overlooked by the rear facades of the two wings of the Museum des Sciences Naturelles.

From the other end of the pond

One of the many other species of birds

View across the pond

European Parliament buildings looming in the back

Georges Eastman dentistry institute in the back

Chapelle de Marie la Miserable

admin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:59:12 +0000

Chapel of Marie la Miserable
This Gothic chapel, whose origins certainly date from the 14th century, was modified many times until its restoration in 1970. It evokes the moving story - told by the playwright M. de Ghelderode in his play Marie la Miserable (1952) - of a young peasant girl who became the victim of a powerful person whose advances she had spurned. To avenge himself, the rebuffed seducer slipped a valuable vase into her bag, then accused her of theft. Injustly condemned, the young girl was buried alive.

Location of Chapelle de Marie la Misérable:

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Photos of Chapelle de Marie la Miserable

Chapel of Marie la Miserable from the other side

The chapel can be visited daily from 7 am to 6 pm.

Most of the furniture inside dates back to the 17th Century

Going around into its garden designed by René Pechère

Side of the chapel seen from within its gardens

Greenwich café

admin — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:56:31 +0000

Built in 1914 the Greenwich café is the well-known meeting point of Brussels chess players where at any time of day or night multiple groups of players abound inside. The original decor completed in 1916 gives the pub its pleasant and authentic feel, where probably little changed from the time Magritte apparently frequented the place. A great place to relax in a calm environment while playing or simply watching a good game of chess.

Location of the Greenwich café:

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Photos of Greenwich café

Approching the pub with its outside terrace

The tables in the middle are reserved for the chess players

Closer look at the chess players

Corner view from my seat

The back near the toilets

The Greenwich seen from all the way in the back

Botanique

admin — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:52:36 +0000

Le Botanique or the Former Botanical Garden

Since 1983, this complex hosts the Cultural Center of the French-speaking Community of Brussels and Wallonia. It was built in 1826-29 by T.-F Suys and P.-F. Gineste. The monumental structure is typical of XVIllth century orangeries: a central rotunda with a wing on each side, each ending on a pavilion.

The building was enlarged several times during the XIXth century. In 1939 most of the plant collections were transferred to the botanical garden at Meise. Truncated and mutilated after the works of the North-South junction, the former botanical garden was re-arranged according to the drawings of René Pechère.

Location of the Botanique:

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The botanical gardens lie in particularly pleasant surroundings and now host and organise a wide range of special events such as theatrical productions (in the great central rotunda), musical evenings (song, dance), cinema and temporary exhibitions. In September, the gardens play host to Les Nuits Botanique Festival, with numerous pop, rock and soul concerts.

Originally the gardens. which were partly laid out by Charles Henri Petersen, consisted of three terraces overlooking a lake, each in a different style.

way across the pound

The pond of the botanical gardens

They have since been altered slightly as a result of the construction of the Gare du Nord railway station.

the relocation of the plant collection in Meise, the damage caused during the war, and the building of an underpass which decreased the overall area by half.

The old botanical gardens building and its glasshouse

The back of the park

Few of the 52 sculptures that made up the ornamentation designed by Constantin Meunier and Charles van der Stappen, two brilliant late-19C artists, have survived to the present day.

Le laurier sculpture by Julien Dillens

l’olivier sculpture by Leon Mignon

Some of them can still be seen in front of the south façade of the building, including Spring (Hippolyte Le Roy). Summer (C Meunier), Autumn (C Meunier) and Winter (Pierre Braccke) flanking the central glasshouse.

Winter and Fall in the back

La Cigogne by Edmond Lefever

Spring at the forefront and summer in the back

A number of animal sculptures bear witness to the fashion for this new art form in the 1980s. In preparation for the 1958 World Fair. Rene Pechère was commissioned to turn the old gardens into a city centre park open to all.

Central glasshouse building

Finance tower seen in the back

It contains a few superb tree which are sure to delight those with a fondness for arboriculture or a nice spot to relax amongst the urban environment.

Maze of the Botanical gardens

The iris, the symbol of the Brussels-Capital City Region (”Region” because Belgium has been federal state since 17 February 1994), is given pride of place here and from Apri to June there are almost 40 different varieties to admire.

People relaxing on a hot summer day in the park

Cohn Donnay House

admin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:03:03 +0000

The originally neoclassical Cohn Donnay house built in 1841 was redone using the Art nouveau style in 1904 by architect Paul Hamesse. His remarkable changes to the façade were limited to the elegant bow-window and the balcony above it. Inside, he tastefully designed furniture which was perfectly integrated with the architecture. Entrance hall, billiard and chessboard rooms, sitting room, dining room, “poetry room”… each room in the house has its own character, at times influences by the Wiener Secession, at times by Macintosh. Today, it is the brasserie-restaurant l’Ultieme Hallucinatie.

Ultieme Hallucinatie Location :

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Cohn Donnay House Photos:

Ultieme Hallucinatie Facade

Ultieme Hallucinatie’s window and balcony detail

Entrance hall

chessboard room

Billiard room with stained glass windows

Way leading to the brasserie

The Brasserie is built on the location of a former garden

Closer behind the sculpture reveals the original rock wall of the garden

Exterior terrace section of the brasserie

Furniture is made out of old train benches dating from the 1930’s

Bar on the side was where the greenhouse of the garden once stood

Stained glass windows of the former greenhouse now on the ceiling of the bar

Restaurant room

Way leading to the toilets

Toilets

Ceramic art facade on 147 rue du Rempart des Moines

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:51:21 +0000

An unusual looking refuge for people recovering from living on the streets that its exterior was neatly covered with handmade ceramic art up to the 1st floor.

Location:

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Photos of the house displaying the ceramic art facade

Some detail of the Ceramic art that was made among other things: Carved tiles, patterns, portraits, seahorses, flowers, etc…

Recyclart

admin — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:07:09 +0000

The Recyclart is a non-profit urban pilot project with the vocation of turning the old abandoned train station of Chapelle-Kapellekerk and its abandoned neighborhoods into a vibrant multi-purpose cultural center proposing everything from concerts to exhibitions. The bands featured in the pictures were Comets of fire and Creature With The Atom Brain. The agenda of upcoming events can be found here.

Location:

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Photos of le Recyclart:

From the outside

View as you enter

Opposite corner

Bar where old ticketing counter was

Sound technicians

Crowd

The back

Graffiti ridden toilets

Comets of Fire concert

Ethan Miller

Ben Chasny

Ben Flashman

Ethan Miller

Noel Harmonson

Opening act featuring Creature With The Atom Brain

Bois de la Cambre

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:05:09 +0000

Bois de la Cambre in French or Ter Kamerenbos in Dutch

In 1852 Napoleon III sold Bois de Boulogne, the woods on the western side of Paris, to the City of Paris. Eight years later, the Belgian government also desirous of providing its capital with a public park sold the 304 acres of the Bois de la Cambre which occupy the part of the Forêt de Soignes closest to the conurbation. The woods owe their name to the Abbaye de la Cambre which owned several woods under the Old Regime. They were landscaped by Keilig, a German architect born in Saxony in 1827, who designed two oval-shaped landscaped meadows. This style is also known as the English style because of its origin, which aimed at imitating nature. The woods therefore include an artificial lake and a bridge over a gully, as well as a wide variety of trees. They were an immediate success and soon became the city’s favourite promenade for aristocrats. Queen Marie-Henrietta, the wife of Leopold II was often to be seen driving her own horse and carriage: she also participated in the Longchamp Fête, a revival of the Parisian tradition which was a pretext for the ladies to display their latest finery.

Location:

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The Two neoclassical pavilions which mark the entrance to the woods were erected 1835 at the Porte de Namur (Namur Gate) to collect the city toll: the tax was Abolished in 1860 and the buildings moved to the end of avenue Louise because of their somewhat faded beauty. The Bois de la Cambre is still very popular with the people of Brussels who like to come here for weekend strolls or on warm, sultry evenings in summer.

Photos of the Bois de la Cambre:

Piste Santé

Can get pretty crowded during the week-ends

The artificial lake

The walk around the lake

Home to many species of birds

Plenty of grass all around

Sentier de l’embarcadère

Popular with families

Path leading to Forêt de Soigne

Drug Opera

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:26:44 +0000

A rather large English style pub spread over three floor the Drug Opera bar and restaurant takes its name from an old pharmacy that used to occupy previously the same location. Place is rarely ever packed so it makes it a good spot for a drink or some quick food in a calm decor away from the hustle and bustle.

Location:

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Photos of the Drug Opera from outside during the day

The main entrance of the Drug Opera

Close up of the drug opera sign

The imposing bar: First thing you see as you enter

swirling around the bar

View all the way to the end of the downstairs portion

At the end looking back catching a glimpse of the 2nd floor

Stair going upstairs

2nd floor of Drug Opera pub

lots of Empty seats

Looking down this time at the 1st floor

3rd and last floor not quite opened yet

Drug Opera seen at night this time again from the exterior

View over Brussels from 10th floor of Parking 58

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:04:50 +0000

You could pass by the shapeless building of the Parking 58 hundreds of times without even noticing it. Though the structure is uninteresting by itself it does have a surprise in store for those looking to get a free panoramic view from high up of the city of Brussels. All you need to do is take the elevator to the last open floor to get a superb view over Brussels from all sides. Open daily from 7am until 1am (or 2am Friday and Saturday).

Location:

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View in direction of the Basilica of Brussels seen way in the back

The baroque tower of the Church St. Catherine

Part of Church St. Catherine with Marché au Poissons on ground level

The tower from another angle

The Grand place at a distance with its town hall tower

Closer look at the tower

Street leading to the Nord section of Brussels

Few more views of Brussels