Architecture in Jette

The architecture of Brugmann Hospital is unusual for a healthcare facility. The construction of the hospital complex was entrusted to Victor Horta, who drew on the eclectic style and blended it with Art Nouveau. Built between 1911 and 1921, the famous architect chose a pavilion-style hospital in a green environment, which was deemed to benefit patients both physically and mentally. (4 place A. Van Gehuchten)

As you leave the hospital site, you will soon come to a group of buildings, one of which dominates; this is the former Château Bonaventure, all in white and in a recognisable neoclassical style. The estate now houses a school, the Centre Scolaire du Sacré-Cœur de Jette. (6 avenue du Sacré-Cœur)

Jette's small station and its Flemish Renaissance Revival style await you at the next stop, on place Cardinal Mercier. The station building opened in 1892 and was designed by Franz Seulen, a well-known figure in the industry who also designed Schaerbeek station. In the same Flemish Renaissance Revival style, opposite the station, you can admire the bricks of the former Jette town hall, built between 1891 and 1901 by Jules Jacques van Ysendyck. Saint Pierre church completes the Flemish Renaissance Revival trilogy. The choice of style is easily explained, as it was inspired by the architecture of our regions' golden age, a period of municipal prosperity. (Place Cardinal Mercier)

How about a foray into modernism? This is a bel-étage dwelling, built in 1933, and an artist's studio - now a residence - constructed at the bottom of the plot in 1927. It all belonged to master glassmaker Crickx, who, for 40 years was responsible for one of the largest workshops of its kind, employing up to 50 people and producing stained glass for some of Belgium's and Brussels' largest churches - including the Koekelberg Basilica. Take a look at the bow window and the windows, a nod to the artist's work... (rue Ferdinand Lenoir, 96)

The rest of the tour will take you to the French Pyrenees in a way, while remaining in Brussels. The first stop on this Pyrenean tour is the neo-Romanesque style Our Lady of Lourdes church, which opened for worship in 1949. It is made of brick and concrete and features an imposing square bell tower. (6 avenue Notre-Dame de Lourdes)

The church's immediate neighbour has a seafaring air about it. It is a fine example of Paquebot architecture, sailing somewhere between modernism and Art Deco. Erected in yellow brick, this apartment building features balconies, ship's-mast pilasters and roof terraces. (8 avenue Notre-Dame de Lourdes)

Not far from here is the second stop on your mini-trip to the Pyrenees, with the astonishing grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which predates the church of the same name as its construction was completed in 1915. The intention was to respond to an influx of pilgrims who flocked to the little old church to beg Our Lady of Lourdes to protect soldiers in the First World War. (Rue Léopold I)

Withuis was the home of poet Jef Mennekens. Dating from 1927 and embracing the Art Deco style, its extremely elaborate forms - just look at the highly raised, broken up main facade - are the work of architect Joseph Diongre, who designed the former radio building on place Flagey in Ixelles. The building also has a modernist feel, with its flat roof and ribbon windows. (183 avenue Charles Woeste)

Diongre distinguished himself once again with this house, which stands out from the others on the street. The building is striking for the rounded shape of its bow windows and balconies, as well as for its bands of red and green brick. The facade tells you the year of construction (1927) and also the name of the architect – look closely at the inscription engraved in the bluestone of the base, to the left of the garage door. (175 avenue Firmin Lecharlier)

Worth the detour:

Looking for a bit of peace and quiet? Take a break in Laerbeek woods, and visit the Norman Chalet, built in 1907 as part of a new villa development in what was then a very rural area. The district would never see the light of day! The chalet was inspired by traditional Norman architecture, with its multi-sloped roofs and half-timbered facades. Now often referred to as the Laerbeek chalet, it houses a restaurant. (145 avenue du Laerbeek)

Let's take a short foray into the commune’s past with a stop in front of the former prelature of Dieleghem Abbey. This neoclassical building, designed by architect Dewez in 1775, is all that remains of the abbey's property. The building's sobriety is matched by its sheer volume. The building now houses a municipal museum. (14 rue Jean Tiebackx)