One of the most significant examples of architectural heritage in the centre of the old municipality of Laeken is the town hall. A Neo-Renaissance work created by the architects Bonduelle and Gilson, it was inaugurated in 1912. As well as a counter hall, which is still in use, and the municipal library, it is also home to the Brussels North Cultural Centre – the House of Creation. This tour will present the interior spaces of the building and the unique challenges involved in converting a listed administrative building into a living venue for a diverse range of cultural activities. A guided tour of the area surrounding the Place Bockstael/Emile Bockstaelplein will enable you to explore the Eclectic-style structures. These were built from 1900 onwards in order to create a commercial and residential centre around the town hall, on which history has also left its mark. The stepped-gable apartment buildings and mansions joyfully combine decorations from a range of stylistic periods, including Art Nouveau and Art Deco. There is a wide, picturesque variety of examples on offer in this slice of Brussels’s architectural history from the Belle Époque and Roaring Twenties.
