10 must-visit Art Nouveau houses and mansions in Brussels

29 October 2026

Victor Horta, maison Tassel huis © Maxime Delvaux

At the end of the 19^th century, Victor Horta broke with the dominant, traditional architectural styles in Brussels, giving birth to the iconic Art Nouveau genre. Along the streets of our capital, numerous houses and mansions bear witness to the emergence and blossoming of this unprecedented style.

Horta, Hankar, Van de Velde and other great names in Brussels architecture drew their inspiration from the organic forms of nature, sometimes with a touch of Japanese inspiration. The capital’s appearance was transformed, and its facades were brought to life in magnificent fashion. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, we’ve put together a top 10 of Brussels’ unmissable Art Nouveau houses and mansions!

1. Solvay House

A UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000, Solvay House is regarded as one of Victor Horta’s finest works. It was commissioned by industrialist Armand Solvay, son of Ernest, who gave Horta an almost illimited budget to complete the masterpiece. Standing on the illustrious avenue Louise, this luxurious townhouse on a 15-metre-wide plot is a perfect example of how the well-to-do families of 19^th century bourgeoisie lived.

Avenue Louise 224, 1050 Ixelles
Booking required.

2. Hannon House

Closed for several years for restoration works, this little Art Nouveau gem will reopen its doors in 2023. Designed by architect Jules Brunfaut, it has been restored to its former splendour, thanks in particular to original pieces of furniture by Émile Gallé, a leading figure of the École de Nancy. The spiral staircase at the heart of Hannon House draws the eye, as does Les joies de la vie, the mythologically inspired fresco that adorns its walls. Aesthetes and artists, Édouard and Marie Hannon breathed life and soul into their ‘portrait house’. Upstairs, temporary exhibitions showcase the riches of Art Nouveau and its many influences.

Avenue de la Jonction 1, 1060 Saint-Gilles
Booking recommended; booking required with a Pass or for a guided tour.

A l'intérieur du Musée des Instruments de Musique

3. Cauchie House

Built in 1905, Cauchie House, was named after architect and original owner Paul Cauchie. Aside from its superb round window, the building's facade features several large sgraffiti, which make the building stand out and are evidence of Cauchie and his wife Caroline “Lina” Voet’s decorative talent.

Rue des Francs 5, 1040 Etterbeek
Booking required.

4. Autrique House

Autrique House, designed by Victor Horta in 1893, is the first large town house that the great architect built, in 1893, almost at the same time as he designed Tassel House. Here too the structural and decorative innovations that are so characteristic of Art Nouveau are on show.

Chaussée de Haecht 266, 1030 Schaerbeek
Booking required.

Escaliers intérieurs de la Maison Autrique

5. The Horta Museum

The Horta Museum is housed in two connected buildings: The architect’s house and his workshop. They are the perfect examples of the peak of Art Nouveau. Both buildings were bought by the commune of Saint-Gilles in the 60s, with the home restored and turned into a museum which opened in 1969. The workshop was bought in 1971 and incorporated into the museum in 1973.

Rue Américaine 27, 1060 Saint-Gilles
Booking recommended.

6. Max Hallet House

Buit in 1903 by Victor Horta, Max Hallet House, on the prestigious avenue Louise, is characterised by its sober facade. This simplicity isn’t just down to the logical evolution of Art Nouveau architecture around 1900, it’s also because of the building’s original purpose, which was to be both the home and office of lawyer Max Hallet.

Avenue Louise 346, 1050 Ixelles
One-off visits, booking required.

7. The Belgian Comic Strip Center

The Belgian Comic Strip Center, a former textiles warehouse, was designed by Victor Horta for textile merchant Charles Waucquez. Listed in 1975, then bought by the government in the 1980s to save it from being demolished, it now houses a centre dedicated to Belgian comic strips. You can visit its magnificent entrance hall free of charge.

Rue des Sables 20, 1000 City of Brussels
Visit the museum without booking or by appointment.

Hall d'entrée du Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée

8. Foundation Frison Horta

Built in 1894 by Horta, in the heart of the capital, Frison House was commissioned by renowned lawyer Georges Frison. Both a professional practice and a living space, it blends nature and light down to the very last detail, with murals and other playful nods to nature present on every floor. Now it is the home and workspace of the Frison Horta Foundation, an arts centre devoted to promoting exchanges between Indian and European cultural traditions.

Rue Lebeau 37, 1000 City of Brussels
Guided tours by appointment.

Sculpture à l'intérieur de la Fondation Frison Horta

9. Van Eetvelde House & LAB

Victor Horta himself considered van Eetvelde House to be his most daring design. Commissioned by the future Baron Edmond van Eetvelde, this mansion is renowned for the luxury of its interiors: a study furnished in African mahogany, a drawing room panelled in green onyx and gilded bronze, and a dining room adorned with embossed tapestry and stained-glass windows made from American glass… The highlight of the property is undoubtedly the glass roof of its winter garden, supported by 32 ribs and 8 metal pillars. The mansion forms part of a complex built in three phases. Since 2023, the building that once housed Edmond van Eetvelde’s former study has been home to the LAB·AN, an exhibition venue dedicated to Brussels Art Nouveau and its history.

Avenue Palmerston 2-4, 1000 City of Brussels
Booking required.

10. Tassel House

Regarded as the seminal work of Art Nouveau, Tassel House was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. With its audacious bow-window and remarkable light wells, this building left a lasting mark on the history of architecture.

Rue Paul-Émile Janson 6, 1050 Ixelles
Rare visits take place during BANAD festival.

Top Tip!

The Art Nouveau Pass lets you discover Brussels’ Art Nouveau gems at an unbeatable price. Choose 3 sites from a list of 9 emblematic constructions, like Cauchie House, the Horta Museum, Autrique House and even Solvay House (depending on the pass chosen).

The pass is valid 9 months, to the great delight of all architecture fans!

Get your Art Nouveau Pass

Solvay House

Architect: Victor Horta - 1895/1898 This luxury townhouse was built by Victor Horta in 1894 for the son of captain of industry Ernest Solvay. The architect was given “carte blanche” and designed the interior and the furniture down to the smallest detail. On the façade, two symmetric bow windows surmounted by balconies are seen to protrude across two floors. Indoors it is a visual extravaganza, with the sheer range of red-orange hues on offer only acting to underpin the atmosphere of luxury and comfort. A must-see building. Please note : Children under 10 years of age are not admitted to the guided tours.

Solvay House

Horta Museum

The Horta Museum is housed in the house and studio of the architect Victor Horta (1861-1947). Both buildings were built from 1898 to 1901 and are typical of the height of Art Nouveau. The interior of the house has been largely preserved: mosaics, stained-glass windows, furniture, wall paintings form a harmonious whole that shows subtlety down to the smallest detail. The museum is also a centre for research on Victor Horta and Art Nouveau. The architect's personal archive, a collection of plans of his buildings and the library are accessible to the public by appointment. Reservation of a time slot online is mandatory. Last access at 16:45.

Horta Museum

Cauchie House

"Our spaces are currently not available for rental. Please visit this page again for future update." The Cauchie House is one of the most exceptional Art Nouveau masterpieces in Brussels. Built in 1905, it was originally the home to Paul Cauchie and Caroline Voet, a couple of artists and decorators. The majestic sgraffito on the façade and the opulent decorations of the bel-étage served as a manifesto for their artistic skills. We invite you to join us for a guided tour to discover its history and unique artworks. Open every Saturday of the month. Individual guided tours, group guided tours.

Cauchie House

Tassel House

This building is considered the founding work of Art Nouveau in Brussels. It was designed in 1893 by master architect Victor Horta, commissioned by its owner Emile Tassel, a professor at the ULB and a Freemason, like Horta. A house designed to accommodate a bachelor living with his grandmother, Tassel wanted to be able to receive his friends and continue his scientific work. The principal elements of Art Nouveau are used here: apparent metal structure, integration of the decoration into the structure, large amounts of natural light, etc.

Tassel House

MIM - Musical Instruments Museum (MRAH)

As soon as it opened at the end of the 19th century, the luxurious Old England department store earned an excellent reputation for its highly distinctive building. The entrance to the building is a jewel of the Art Nouveau style, while the rest is in perfect harmony with the neoclassical ensemble on the Place Royale, and just around the corner from the Grand-Place and Central Station, no less! With a wealth of some 9.000 instruments, some 1.200 of which are on permanent exhibit, the museum's reputation is mainly built on its extraordinary collections. Once inside, you'll embark on a true tour of the musical world. After your visit, the instruments and their history will no longer hold any secrets: from the viola da gamba from the Court of Brussels to the 20th century theremin, and even including the African kora! The mim is nothing other than a place to experience music. A visitor's guidance system allows you to explore the thematic tours to the tune of the melodious sound of the instruments presented. A program packed with concerts, demonstrations and workshops for the young and the not so young makes the mim experience even better. The mim has its own concert hall, specialized library, museum shop, workshop for restauration and conservation of musical instruments and is crowned by a restaurant with panoramic view over Brussels.

MIM - Musical Instruments Museum (MRAH)

Autrique House

Maison Autrique is the very first striking building Victor Horta designed. It was built in 1893 and it's a major part of Brussels' architectural patrimonium. It underwent an exemplary restoration and is now open to the public. This house is an important Art Nouveau touchstone: we can already see elements that form a part of the continual explorations of the architect. It's interior division is full of surprises: François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters have staged an original scenography, from the cellar to the attic. The house has thus become a sort of tribute to Brussels' private architecture, while at the same time tickling the imagination. The house hosts intimate concerts, temporary exhibitions and workshops for children.

Autrique House

Comic Art Museum

A world full of comics An accomplished attraction located in the heart of Brussels, the Comics Art Museum has been honouring the creators and heroes of the 9th Art for 30 years. The regularly renewed permanent exhibitions and a diversified programme of temporary exhibitions enable visitors to discover the countless aspects of comics art. Famous characters lead the way towards new adventures, an encounter with a world where creativity has no limits. Enhanced by an exceptional Art Nouveau home designed by Victor Horta, the Comics Art Museum is just as much a tribute to the pioneers as a glimpse of contemporary comics art.

Comic Art Museum

Max Hallet House

House dating from 1903-1905, built according to the plans of V. Horta and offering a symphony of colours, whorls and lights to lift the heart and please the eyes. The lawyer Max Hallet had it built to receive his friends and clients in a magnificent setting. Victor Horta built it in the image of its occupant, laying out rooms for living and areas for receiving visitors.

Max Hallet House

Foundation Frison Horta

RESTORATION. PRESERVATION. SHARING. Foundation Frison Horta is an Active Cultural Bridge Between East & West Restoring, Preserving and Sustaining Rich Art & Craft of the By-Gone Era, in an Artistic Art-de-Vivre form. “Excellence in Craftsmanship and Métiers d’Art”. The Foundation Aims to Foster Greater Understanding and Appreciation of the Rich Heritage & Cultural Traditions of the East particularly of Indian Sub-continent In Europe and vice versa. Foundation Frison Horta is working Extensively in Restoring the image of Brussels with Art Nouveau as its National Identity to a Global Audience. Maison Frison is the Only one of a kind house of Victor Horta that was Constructed for Double Function Maurice Frison ( Lawyer of the Court of Belgium) office and living space. Foundation frison Has Continued the double function of Horta with Foundation museum activities and the living space making it a One of a kind in the world “A Living Museum” an Exceptional Unique Time capsule of 19th Century Total Art, Art Nouveau Gem of Victor Horta! Founder: Nupur Tron Guided visit by appointment only Entry Fee: 39 Euros (Visit+Exposition)

Foundation Frison Horta

Hôtel van Eetvelde X LAB·AN

Created in 2023 to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Art Nouveau in Brussels, the LAB·AN (Laboratory Art Nouveau) aims to enhance and promote this unique style and the general and specific themes associated with it. Through its exhibitions and activities, it takes a contemporary look at this Belgian, Brussels and international cultural heritage. LAB·AN is located in the van Eetvelde building, one of Victor Horta's finest creations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The opening of LAB·AN in this extraordinary building makes the Hotel van Eetvelde, a jewel of Brussels Art Nouveau, accessible to the general public 3 days a week. The LAB·AN x Hôtel van Eetvelde project is managed by the non-profit organisation Patrimoine & Culture, which is also responsible for managing the Halles Saint-Géry.

Hôtel van Eetvelde X LAB·AN

Hannon House

The Maison Hannon, on the corner of Avenue Brugmann and Avenue de la Jonction, was built in 1902, at the request of the couple Marie and Édouard Hannon, by their friend, the architect Jules Brunfaut. Conceived as a symbolist and dreamlike universe, the house is one of the masterpieces of art nouveau in Brussels, a union of Belgian and French art of the time. Jules Brunfaut, unfamiliar with the new style, was inspired by other architects' houses, such as those of Victor Horta (personal house, Tassel and Wessinger hotels), Ernest Blérot (personal house, now destroyed) and Octave Van Rysselbeghe and Henry Van de Velde (Otlet hotel). Combining the beaux-arts style with that of modernity, or art nouveau at that period, the Maison Hannon is a singular work, an intimate and personal house, bringing together the tastes and passions of its commissioners.

Hannon House

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