Architectural excursions are one of my favorites, and when I spotted a “Gems in Art Nouveau” walking tour, I immediately signed up for it. This morning, I began to master Brussels’ public transportation network when I caught a local bus and actually arrived at the correct meeting point for the tour. It’s the little things that make me happy.
Although I was familiar with the Art Nouveau style, our guide Christophe vastly expanded my knowledge today. Art Nouveau, a late nineteenth and early twentieth-century aesthetic movement, produced a highly expressive style of architecture, as well as interior design and other visual arts.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Brussels was the birthplace of the Art Nouveau movement, and the city has one of the largest concentrations of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. We saw many of these buildings today.
We learned that Art Nouveau is inspired by the natural world and is characterized by flowing organic lines, floral motifs, organic shapes, and the innovative use of modern materials such as iron and glass. Decorative elements include intricate mosaic work, stained and curved glass, and decorative cast and wrought iron.
Victor Horta was one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement, and we passed by Solvay House, or Hotel Solvay, one of his finest works.
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| Solvay House, or Hotel Solvay |
Other architects also made their mark, some quite literally. A few even signed their names on their buildings. Apparently, Victor Horta had no need to sign his work.
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| House Designed by Ernest Blerot |
It was interesting to me that all the buildings we saw were a part of urban blocks or terraced or row houses. None were free-standing houses or buildings.
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| Architect Paul Hankar's House and Studio |
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| So Many Examples of the Art Nouveau Style |
Our guide had saved the best for last – the Horta Museum, Victor Horta’s own masterpiece. Our first sighting of the building was quite underwhelming, however, as the façade was completely covered with scaffolding and sheeting. An interpretive board in front of the building explained the restoration process underway and included a photo of the building so we could see what was hidden behind the sheets.
The most spectacular part of the house was the interior. Sadly, I was unable to get more than a quick glimpse of this amazing space due to the osteoarthritis in my knee, which had reared its ugly head (knee?) a few months before I left on this trip. I was already hobbling after walking so far today, and stairs are my nemesis. I knew that climbing so many flights would leave me in pain for the rest of the day, so I reluctantly decided to just look at photos of what I would be missing.
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| Horta Museum |
I managed to catch a tram back to my hotel, but stopped first at Brussels-Central Station, which was designed by Victor Horta, although not in the Art Nouveau style. It was a fitting way to end my tour.
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| Brussels-Central Station |


























