5 Art Nouveau houses worth a look in Ixelles

It’s no secret that Brussels is the home of some of the most beautiful Art Nouveau houses in the world. A large majority of which can be found in Ixelles. From the most well known architects, to some you may be unfamiliar with until now, enjoy these 5 Art Nouveau houses worth a look in Ixelles.

Walk Details
Distance - 1km
Walking time - 14min

1

Hôtel Tassel

Rue Paul Emile Janson 6, 1000 Bruxelles

Designed by none other than Victor Horta, the Hôtel Tassel was built for scientist, professor and Freemason Emile Tassel and is regarded as one of the first Art Nouveau houses. Though it’s not the first house Horta designed, (that’s up in Schaerbeek), it’s one of the four UNESCO listed Horta houses. Of these four properties UNESCO states: “The stylistic revolution represented by these works is characterized by their open plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building.” It’s a private office now, but occasionally it will open to the public for tours. Check out the facade from across the street though, and note the stylistic changes as the house extends upward

2

Hôtel Albert Ciamberlani

Rue Defacqz 48, 1050 Bruxelles

This is the first of two houses from Belgian architect Paul Hankar on Rue Defacqz and built in 1897 for an arts professor, the most immediately notable design element comes in the facade’s sgraffito. Made by layering plasters of different colors, the technique was originally birthed during the renaissance, but revitalized in the Art Nouveau movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Hôtel Albert Ciamberlani is one of the finest examples you’ll come by in the city. Today it acts as the residence of the Ambassador of the Argentina—hence the flag.

3

Maison Roosenboom

Rue Faider 83, 1050 Ixelles

Named for the architect who designed it, Albert Roosenboom, a designer for Victor Horta, this is without a doubt one of the finest examples of art nouveau style houses one can come across in Brussels, but like many of the buildings here, it has a familiar story. In 2018 the house was declared uninhabitable by the municipality, noting the risk of fire and accidents. A year later the house was bought and renovations began. The facade has just recently reemerged to public view, and the sgraffito, one of the most beautiful in all of Brussels, really shines. I especially love the shoe scraper and the mailslot located between the door and the window. 

4

Maison Hankar

Rue Defacqz 71, 1060 Saint-Gilles

Again designed by Paul Hankar, Maison Hankar was the architect’s personal home. It was built in the same year as Horta’s Hôtel Tassel and was Hankar’s his first major work. You can find the archetect’s name engraved on the stone next to the door. Here I especially like the sgraffito with the times of day and the corresponding birds that adorn the uppermost portion of the façade. Notice anything peculiar about the last bird?

5

The Horta House

Rue Américaine 27, 1060 Bruxelles

Here on Rue Américaine you’ll see the second of the four Horta UNISECO townhouses. You will find The Horta House, the architect's personal home and workshop at No. 27, just past the vampire on the balcony of No. 7. Also doubling as a museum, this, if you’re interested, will probably be the only one of the four townhouses you will easily be able to enter. If you prefer to see it from the outside only, take note that there’s two separate facades with two separate doors–one with beautiful Art Nouveau style iron work, and the other with the architect's initials.