Anderlecht, Brussels’ third-largest municipality, stands out as a fascinating place wherethe history of great men intersects with everyday life. From the few months spent there by the famous humanist Erasmus to the memorable exploits of its legendary soccer club, the municipality reveals a rich historical, artistic, and cultural heritage. But its greatest mystery lies on the very outskirts of the capital: the Vogelenzang Cemetery. Nicknamed the “city of the dead,” this 18-hectare landscaped site, inaugurated in 1954, forms a veritable open-air museum of funerary art. Between its vibrant tribute to war heroes and the graves of illustrious figures, immerse yourself in the secrets of a timeless necropolis.
From Erasmus to legendary soccer: the rich heritage of Anderlecht
As the third-largest municipality in the Brussels region, Anderlecht boasts an incredibly rich history. In the 16th century, it became a temporary refuge for the humanist Erasmus, who, fleeing the religious fervor of Leuven, sought the tranquility of the Anderlecht countryside. His residence from that time still stands, now a museum of Flemish Gothic architecture. This gem stands alongside the Collegiate Church of Saints Peter and Guy, built between 1350 and 1557.
Local history, however, has seen its share of tragedies and urban paradoxes. The Scheut neighborhood, for instance, serves as a reminder of the devastation of the Nine Years’ War in 1695, when French forces bombarded and set fire to the Grand Place. In the 1970s, this same neighborhood saw its Victorian Gothic church demolished to make way for a supermarket—a disaster from which only the keystones were saved. But Anderlecht shines with its contemporary popular fervor: its legendary soccer club remains the most successful in Belgium, illustrating sporting rivalries that still follow the country’s linguistic boundaries.
The Vogelenzang Cemetery: the nation’s city of the dead
To reach the Vogelenzang Cemetery, you must venture beyond the Brussels ring road, toward the Flemish borderof Anderlecht. Opened in 1954 to alleviate overcrowding in the town, this 18-hectare site is organized around wide avenues connecting 64 geometric lawns. In the center, the Pelouse d’honneur pays tribute to war heroes, while at the rear, the relocation of 1,250 old graves has created a veritable Anderlecht “Père-Lachaise” with neo-Gothic chapels, since supplemented by multi-denominational plots.
The City of the Dead is home to the graves of legendary figures such as Constant Vanden Stock, an icon of sports and local beer, and Philippe Thys, three-time winner of the Tour de France. Political and artistic legacies intersect here through figures likeformer mayor Marius Renard and Daniel van Damme. Finally, more tragic stories are laid to rest here, such as that of the poet Prosper-Henri Devos, killed in 1914, or Patrice Braut, the sole Belgian victim of the September 11, 2001, attacks. A vibrant mirror of humanity.
