This truly is a work of art and a feat for its time. In 1876, the commune decided to extend the avenue coming from the town hall. The problem was the railway that had to be crossed. Engineer Guillaume Kennis came up with a bold idea. He suggested covering the tracks with a landscaped roundabout. In the centre, he had fake rocks installed for a more natural look. His assistant felt it reminded him of the Bear Pit in Bern and exclaimed: “But this is a bear cage!” The rocks have meanwhile been removed but everyone still calls it ‘Cage aux Ours’ (Bear Cage) rather than place Verbroeckhoven. An added bonus is that it’s easier to pronounce for French journalists.
Train cage
Location: Place Eugène Verboekhoven, 1030 Schaerbeek
