Le Botanique, Brussels.

 

The history of Le Botanique, the old  Botanical Garden of Brussels  dates back to 1826 . Designed by architect Tilman-François Suys, at least partially, the main orangery (Le Botanique) is composed of a central rotunda with a dome, and two side aisles with windows at the ends. Though it was once the city’s botanical garden, today it is a cultural centre and music venue. The complex is housed in a neoclassical glass and wrought-iron building  which stands on Rue Royale in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, near the Northern Quarter financial district in Brussels.

 

I stayed in Rue de royal, amongst the north financial district.The whole part of the city is an concrete jungle, with sky-kissing  multistorey buildings, offices and bustling streets.  The manicured gardens of Le Botanique is an oasis in the midst of the urban chaos.  The 19-century architecture now anchors the  Francophone theatre, dance and performance art. But even if you are not going to any music show, you can simply take a peaceful stroll in the beautiful garden, far from the maddening crowd of the city.

 

Not only the beautiful garden, but also the 52 sculptures in it, built in 19th century by  number of workers and overseen by two well-known sculptors, Constantin Meunier and Charles van der Stappen, will amaze you. After decades of financial uncertainty, the Belgian state bought the garden in 1870 and commissioned various fountains, electrical lighting, and an extensive program of sculpture to strengthen the country’s public art and  those statues adorned the garden .

In 1938 most of the botanical resources were removed to the new site National Botanic Garden of Belgium in Meise on the outskirts of the city. However, the historical statues, and garden’s remarkable collection of species of large trees,still stands intact.It can be accessed by the Botanique/Kruidtuin metro station and also by tram. It is also walkable from the Brussels comic strip museum. This area also hosts lots of affordable hotels for your convenient stay in Brussels.

©thegreyeye.wordpress.com, 2016-21. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.