Brussels is a veritable showcase for Art Nouveau, a refined architectural style that has shaped the city’s soul. On every street corner, the elegant facades and floral ornamentation catch the eye and invite contemplation. Did you know that you can visit some of them with the Art Nouveau Pass? Here are the 11 most beautiful Art Nouveau houses in Brussels!
1. Musical Instruments Museum
Arguably the most beautiful and remarkable (with its “Old England” style and incredible balconies designed by Paul Saintenoy in 1899), the Musée des Instruments de Musique is a must-see work of Art Nouveau in Brussels.
📍 Address: Rue Montagne de la Cour 2
🚇 Palais or Royale
2. Maison Cauchie
The Maison Cauchie, built in 1905 near the Parc du Cinquantenaire, is one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau in Brussels. Its gilded sgraffito facade bears the motto “Par nous, Pour nous” (“By us, For us”), and its interior reflects the idea of a “total work of art”. Restored in the 1980s, it is now open to visitors by prior arrangement, especially on Saturdays.
📍 Address: Rue des Francs 5
🚇 Mérode
3. Maison Saint-Cyr
Designed by architect Gustave Strauven, the Art Nouveau-style Maison Saint-Cyr is a real gem, named after the painter Georges de St-Cyr, whom it housed in the early 20th century. Its ironwork and balconies are breathtakingly beautiful.
📍 Address: Square Ambiorix 11
🚇 Schuman
4. Nelissen House
Built in 1905 by architect Arthur Nelissen for himself, this villa catches the light with its undulating glazed brick facade, semicircular balcony and dreamlike plant ironwork. Nestled on a quiet slope of the Avenue du Mont Kemmel, it can be admired from the sidewalk, especially in the late afternoon, when the ceramics take on golden hues.
📍 Address: Av. du Mont Kemmel 5 (in Forest)
🚇 Albert
5. Hôtel Solvay
This masterpiece by Art Nouveau specialist Victor Horta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the woodwork on the façade is certainly pleasing, it’s inside that the real enchantment takes place. And you can visit it!
📍 Address: Avenue Louise 224
🚇 Bailli
And if you love the world of Victor Horta? Don’t miss his Museum at 27 Rue Américaine!
6. Maison Autrique
With its pretty balcony and exposed beams, its rosy allure and its large windows with inlaid marquise, the Maison Autrique looks like something out of a fairy tale! Victor Horta is never far away, as we also owe this masterpiece to him!
📍 Address: Chau. de Haecht 266 (in Schaerbeek)
🚇 S aint-Servais Church
7. Hankar House
Along with Victor Horta, Paul Hankar is one of the two pillars of Art Nouveau in Brussels. His house in Saint-Gilles, with its burgundy tones and wrought-iron balustrades, is full of charm. Watch the light streaming through the awnings!
📍 Address: Rue Defacqz 71 (in Saint-Gilles)
🚇 Janson
8. Van Dyck House
Lesser-known than its sister buildings, the Maison Van Dyck nevertheless possesses an almost Gothic charm that should delight tourists and architecture enthusiasts alike. Admire its two (completely different) bays and its incredible ship’s bow gable!
📍 Address: Bd Clovis 85/87 (in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode)
🚇 Madou or Schuman
9. Maison De Beck
Little-known to Brussels residents and off the tourist trail, Maison De Beck is nevertheless a dazzling architectural treasure with its green ironwork, wooden frames, red and white bricks and arched dormers.
📍 Address: Av. Paul Dejaer 9 (in Saint-Gilles)
🚇 Barrière
10. Ciamberlani Hotel
Built by Paul Hankar in 1897, the Hotel Ciamberlani is stunning for its exposed metal structure, windows of every shape and gold sgraffito up to the roof. The hotel was even restored in 2006.
📍 Address: Rue Defacqz 48
🚇 Defacqz
11. Hôtel Frison
Set course for the Hôtel Frison, a discreet Art Nouveau jewel signed by Victor Horta, nestled in the Sablon. This mansion astonishes with its play of light and unique floral frescoes. The Frison-Horta Foundation preserves a priceless Brussels heritage, and is open to visitors by appointment. Surrounded by the historic buildings of the city center, it embodies the magic of an unusual and elegant Brussels.
📍 Address: Rue Lebeau, 37
🚇 Central Station