Guided tour of Brussels by an art nouveau architecture expert. We invite you to join and learn all the details about the origins and evolution of art nouveau with our Itinerary Art Nouveau Tour of Brussels. We will mainly walk around Bailli area part of Ixelles and also St Gilles district.
Itinerary Art Nouveau Tour of Brussels
We will start our itinerary Art Nouveau Tour of Brussels departing from the Grand Place at 10:00 am and walk towards the MIM (Old England building). This important art nouveau style building now houses, since the year 2000, the Musée de Instruments de la Musique. The MIM, has about 8000 musical instruments, but only about 1200 are exhibited to the public. In 1899, the architect Paul Saintenoy was in charge of the construction of this wonderful building. This spectacular example of art nouveau in Brussels is certainly worth a visit.
After discovering the history of the MIM, we take the tram to Avenue Louise, where we will walk through the streets of Ixelles.
Itinerary around Bailli area part of Ixelles and also St Gilles district.
- Very close to the avenue Louise is the first building of the architect Victor Horta: The Tassel House, which was built between 1893 and 1894. First of all, we will discover what many experts consider the fundamental work for the subsequent development of art nouveau in Brussels. Nearby the Tassel House, we will see the Goblet D’Alviella House, built by the architect Octave Van Rysselberghe. It was here that the first sgraffito was made in Brussels.
- Then we will stop at an impressive palace called House Ciamberlani, designed by Paul Hankar in 1897. Prepare yourself for this marvel, because here you will discover a monumental facade twelve meters wide, dominated by the omnipresence of the sgraffitos of oriental inspiration. Also impressive are the two enormous arched windows and the long wrought-iron railings. We will also dig into Paul Hankar’s “geometric” approach, as opposed to Victor Horta’s “floral” approach.
- We will then move on and contemplate the house of the painter René Janssens. This is a remarkable art nouveau building that the architect Paul Hankar designed for his friend, the Brussels painter René Janssens, between 1870 and 1936. Very close by we will see the house of the architect Armand Van Waesberghe.
- Finally, we will go to the Beukman house, designed by Albert Roosenboom in 1900. Although less famous, the truth is that its graceful silhouette adorns the street where it is located. We will continue and get to see the private house of the architect Paul Hankar. This building is composed of four asymmetrical levels and also has a very meticulous decoration.
- As we finish our itinerary Art Nouveau Tour of Brussels, in front of Victor Horta former home and studio, now a very interesting museum, we suggest you optionally visit the interior of the museum on your own.
Horta Museum
Horta’s work is often recognized as the most definitive example of Art Nouveau architecture, it is nonetheless deeply personalized. As some critic in 1899 quote “...he is not a builder, he is an artist…, he has assumed a genre; it is better than originality; it is mastery! Horta Museum : the Museum is open Tuesday to Friday 2pm – 5.30pm. Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 5.30 pm.
You can join our Itinerary Art Nouveau Tour of Brussels . Every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. The tour lasts 2 ½ hours and it ends at the House Museum of the architect Victor Horta. Book your place now !
