Tag Archives: Sint-Gillis

town hall

Maison Communale de Saint-Gilles

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La Maison Communale de Saint-Gilles or in English the Saint-Gilles Town hall was completed in 1904. It was built according to the plans of architect and urbanist Victor Besme and bears a lot of similarities with a French château with Venetian overtones seen in the tower. The interior can be visited during office working hours from 8h00 to 12h30 and 13h to 16h30 at Place Van Meenen 39, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium.

Location of the Saint-Gilles Town hall:


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Photos Maison Communale de Saint-Gilles:

The town hall with it’s tower in the back

Steps leading to the Main entrance

Pictures of the city of Brussels, Belgium

Sculpture of La Déesse du Bock

The Town Hall and tower seen from the back

Pictures of the city of Brussels, Belgium

Side entrance

Arriving from street in the back of the Saint-Gilles Town hall

Pictures of the city of Brussels, Belgium

Details of the Tower

Pictures of the city of Brussels, Belgium
Art Nouveau

Hotel Hannon

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The Hotel Hannon was completed in 1903 by architect Jules Brunfaut for his friend Edouard Hannon who wanted a townhouse in the much popular at the time Art Nouveau style. Almost demolished in 1965 after the death of Hannon’s daughter when it fell into the wrong hands, it was saved by the town of Saint-Gilles who bought and then completely renovated it. The Hannon Hotel was in 1976 listed by the Royal Commission for Monuments and Sites and is currently home to the Espace Photographique Contretype, an organization devoted to promoting creative photography through exhibits and other events.

Location of Hannon Hotel:


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Photos of Hotel Hannon:

The Hannon Hotel seen from the middle of the street.

The remarkable stained glass windows were made by Raphaël Evaldre using the American glass technique made popular by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Hotel Hannon’s bas relief facade

The Building next door on boulevard Brugmann is also interesting

Featuring some owls sgraffito above the door

Prison

Prison de Saint-Gilles

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The prison de Saint-Gilles, which replaced Carmes prison in the Sablon, was built between 1878 and 1884 and was the work of the engineer, Francois Derré the architect, Joseph Dumont. The jail is in a purely Tudor style that resembles a medieval castle or fort and was built according to the ideas of 19th century criminologists, including the first General Inspector of prisons, Edouard Ducpétiaux (1804-1869).

Location of Prison of Saint-Gilles:


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Photos of Prison de Saint-Gilles:

Main towers and entrance gate

Definitely not what you would expect for a jail to look like…

Walls surrounding what is currently the biggest prison of Brussels

Corner shot

Main entrance again