Opening of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are opening again. Like the blossoming of a flower, the greenhouses only open its doors at the onset of spring, and like a lunar eclipse, they do it just once or twice a year; this year, there’s only one opening for two weeks.

If you’ve never been, the grandiose Art Nouveau greenhouses were built by Alphonse Balat, teacher of the great Brussels architect Victor Horta, and commissioned during the prestigious reign of King Léopold II, an avid ecologist who created and cared for many plants of the areas, and the work of the architect Balat.

Giant steel rimmed glass structures magnificently presented a luminous environment in which to view the flora collections. Stepping into the king’s personal Winter Garden of the greenhouse is like stepping into a luscious foreign land as are flowers and exotic trees dangle as high as the ceiling in a humid atmosphere.

If you think that the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken attracts only a conventional audience, you’d be mistaken. It’s a place that will fascinate even those with just a passing fancy in either architecture or horticulture and especially since visits are limited to just two weeks a year.

Good to know:

• Dates: 21/04/2018 until 11/05/2018
• Website