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:

View Larger Map

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 number of tower cranes around.

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

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:

View Larger Map
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

Location:

View Larger Map

Lindekemale Mill

Built downstream from the confluence of the Woluwe and Struykbeek, this former grist mill, mentioned in texts as early as 1129, used water from both of these streams to increase its power. In the 19th century, paper was also made here.

Around 1900, faced with competition from the milling industry, the managers opened the Mill Milk Bar a place where walkers stopped to quench their thirst.
Acquired by the town in 1955, this is the only mill to have survived the urbanisation of the valley. The paddle wheel was restored in 1994.

La Woluwe (river)

Marais du Struykbeek (Struykbeek pond)

The Allée du stade road crosses the park along the Marais du Struykbeek

The imposing statue of the roaring Lion by Raymond de Meester de Betzenbroeck

The road leading to tip of the large fisherman’s pond

the Malou lake from a corner

Closer look

View from across the lake

On the other side of the Étang de Pêche (fisherman’s pound)

Some of the wildlife birds living on the Lac Malou

On the lawn next of the Chateau Malou

Wild Bird Crossing

Chateau Malou

Built in 1776, as an engraved inscription notes, for Lambert
de Lamberts, a rich knighted merchant, this lovely Neoclassical
country residence stands among the foliage of around
eight hectares of property.

The chateau owes its current
name to one former owner, the Catholic politician and
financier Jules Malou (1810-1886), whose descendants gave
it to the town in 1951. It was transformed into a cultural
centre and since 1972 has housed the Gallery for Lending
Art Words which promotes contemporary visual artists.

ducks and swans returning into the pond

Path across the park

A large playground at one end of the Park called the Chalet Malou

Location:

View Larger Map

Photos of the Park of Woluwe

A large sized fountain is found in the middle of the pond

walking around the pond

Statue of a naked woman surrounded by flowers

Closer look

Zooming in on the fountain

back on our walk around the park

Multi colored flowers

Statue of Lt General Bernheim a WWI Hero

The pond viewed by the side

Relaxing on a bench

This beautiful statue from was a gift from sculptor Marius Vos which stands among blooming trees and flowers

The statue ‘Naissance d’une Nation’ or in English Birth of a Nation which won the gold medal at the international exhibit in Paris in 1937

Elderly men having a discussion

Pigeons being fed bread crumbs on the grass

Among trees

Foutain and rock structure in the back of the pond

You will always find a large number of flowers all along Square Ambiorix

kid running after ducks at the fountain

L’abrevoir statue at a distance

Reading a book

A good example of multiculturalism living in harmony

statue with pigeons

relaxing on the grass

walking across the park

kids playground

Famous old architecture buildings

Approaching l’abrevoir statue

Watering place statue closeup

Row of tulips

La Folle Chanson Statue

The Demented Song Statue from the back