A visit to Saint-Gilles is like walking through an open-air Art Nouveau museum with intimate parks and gardens, working-class neighbourhoods that convey a Mediterranean charm, trendy cafés and eateries, and a multicultural population. Nowadays, Saint-Gilles is a gem and a hugely popular commune.
When the town hall of Saint-Gilles was built at the beginning of the 20th century, the 'Kuulkappers' (literally Cabbage Cutters), a the local inhabitants were known, wanted to surpass the efforts made by the City of Brussels. Their building took on enormous dimensions, and was characterised by beautiful ornaments and statues, and a 41 metre high belfry tower.
In addition to the neoclassical town hall, there are numerous buildings around the commune that were designed in the Art Nouveau style by the architects Victor Horta and Ernest Blerot. This architectural walk really is a feast for the eyes.
