After the abolition of abbeys and religious foundations at the end of the 18th century, the hills of North-Western Brussels long retained their rural aspect and large farms right up to the early 20th century. As a result of the dissolution of various religious institutions, numerous leisure properties and châteaux were built in the area, including the Royal Palace of Laeken. Throughout the 20th century, a succession of different structures were built on the hills, including major hospitals (the Brugmann, the UZ-VUB and the military hospital), medical institutions (the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation), and large housing complexes (the Cité Modèle and garden city estates). In addition, various sites were developed for the World Fairs (the Japanese Tower, the Chinese pavilion, the Grand Palace and the Atomium).
During the Heritage Days, the North-West Brussels Cultural Association will be holding two exhibitions in the Horta Chapel. The first will feature a number of explanatory panels describing the development of the site on the hills of north-west Brussels, from the large farms to the grand estates, and from the château Bonaventure with its stately gardens to the extensive hospital complexes, not forgetting the public park. The second exhibition will focus on the link between artists and architectural heritage (through drawings, pastel works etc.)
