As part ofArt Deco Brussels 2025, or the year of Art Deco in Brussels, we take a look at this iconic monument in the Belgian capital, the largest of its kind in the world. When we think of Brussels’ emblematic Art Deco architecture, we of course think of BOZAR, the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles built by Victor Horta, a feat of early 20th-century Belgianarchitecture, although his works are mostly representative of the Art Nouveau movement. But be prepared to be surprised: the world’s true colossus of Art Decois a little further away from the city center, crowning the Koekelberg plateau…
A discreet but monumental giant: the Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur in Koekelberg
Today, the Koekelberg Basilica is considered the largest Art Deco building in the world. It is also the 5th largest church in the world (behind St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London). Constructed from reinforced concrete, brick, natural stone and glazed terracotta, its Art Deco style is sober and monumental, far removed from the overloaded ornamentation of Art Nouveau. Visible from afar thanks to its greenish copper dome, the basilica dominates the north-west of Brussels, its silhouette an integral part of the city skyline.
The titanic construction project took almost a century to complete. The original project dates back to 1905, when King Leopold II laid the foundation stone. The project, originally in neo-Gothic style, was transformed after the war into an ambitious Art Deco edifice by architect Albert Van Huffel. Between interruptions due to the two world wars and a gradual resumption, construction spread over almost 6 decades, being completed in the 1970s. The interior, vast and luminous, blends generous volumes with sober materials: a remarkable example of interwar modern architecture.
Much more than a place of worship: a true place of life
The basilica is not just a place of prayer: it houses two museums, the Musée d’Art Religieux Moderne and the Musée des Soeurs Noires, with varied collections ranging from classical religious art tomodern and contemporary art. It regularly offers exhibitions, concerts, guided tours and events related to art and architecture. It has even hosted a concert of film music by Hans Zimmer. In addition to its cultural effervescence, it also offers a unique vantage point over the Belgian capital,with a panoramic view of Brussels and the surrounding area from the gallery under the dome, over 50 meters high.
And around the basilica? A whole little-known Art Deco district to (re)discover
The construction of the Basilica had a profound effect on local urban planning : between the 1920s and 1950s , the Koekelberg plateau and the neighboring commune of Ganshoren were transformed into a veritable cornucopia of Art Deco buildings – schools, apartment blocks, council houses, social housing…
Among these little-known “pearls” are community houses, such as those in Koekelberg (remodeled in 1939) and Ganshoren (converted from a concert hall in 1939), schools and public buildings by well-known names in Brussels architecture, such as the Athénée Royal in Koekelberg, designed by architect Henri-Aimé Jacobs and his father, as well as social housing and private homes in the Art Deco/Modernist style, illustrating the richness and diversity of a movement too often reduced to a few icons.
Why is the Koekelberg Basilica (really) worth a visit? If you love architecture, history or simply stunning views – or if, quite simply, you’re looking to rediscover Brussels off the beaten track – the Koekelberg Basilica is a must-see. It’s an opportunity to see that Art Deco in Brussels is not limited to the elegant facades of the city center, but that it has shaped entire neighborhoods, with ambition and modernity. So the next time someone mentions “Art Deco monuments in Brussels“, don’t just think BOZAR, think Koekelberg Basilicatoo. And if you love architecture and sacred monuments, we recommend you try LUMINISCENCE, back at Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral for its 800th anniversary.