ABATTOIR OF BRUSSELS-Anderlecht

The abattoir of Brussels Anderlecht, is an outstanding example of industrial architecture of the 19th century.



An overview of the whole complex, where cattle was sold, and also slaughtered.
Fortunately today no animal is sold or slaughtered here anymore. The conditions must have been horrible.



The father of my best friend was the the director of the abattoir and is on this picture. It must date from the  30th.

The construction of the foundations are four meters (13 ft)  deep, forming vast vaulted cellars, known today as the Caves of Kuregem, they served for stocking the meat to keep it fresh and also for cultivation of mushrooms. Today it contains a restaurant and event rooms.







The large metal hall built over these cellars measures 100 square meters (1076 square ft), and was designed by the architect Emile Tirou. The roof of the structure is supported by hundreds of cast-iron columns.



How it looked in the past






and today



The main entrance is decorated with two huge cast bronze bulls from the sculptor Isidore Bonheur who did the same bulls at the Abattoir of Paris. Different buildings are built around the hall which opened in 1890. The presence of the slaughterhouse energizes the neighborhood encouraging the creation of many activities, such as tanneries and food companies.

In 1920, the management of the slaughterhouse was taken over by the municipality of Anderlecht. Following major economic problems, the site was sold in 1980 to a cooperative society of traders and slaughterers and was modernized. The great hall was listed in 1988.



Today it is a huge market on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. No animals are sold here anymore but fruits, vegetables, clothes, shoes, leather goods, and other stuff.



There are restaurants and snacks all around





I have never seen so many butcheries on one spot in my whole life, but also fish shops.



On the street opposite the market there again is one butchery after the other ! You have the choice !

BRUSSELS GALERIE LOUISE

September 23, 2014
 
When I was a teenager in the 60th, Brussels was divided into two parts for shopping and going out. The upper part was the posh area and very expensive, and the lower part around the Grand'Place and "La Bourse" was less expensive and therefore more for the middle class.

Today it's more mixed and less exclusive, but still more expensive than the lower part of Brussels. The chicest place was (and is) the Gallery Louise, which was built in 1951 and opened in 1952.
 
In no time in this gallery fifty stores were opened, it contains two levels of garages, an office building and apartments  and in the basement a set of night clubs and discos. The Gallery of ​​almost 23,000 m² (248 square feet)  became the exclusive center of upper Brussels.



The building which contains the gallery hadn't changed at all, since the at least 30 years I haven't been there.



The entrance neither



And the rotunda from which lead all the ways through the gallery was the same too.



This was the place where I used to go dancing every Saturday night together with my friends. There was a nice Disco of which I have forgotten the name, but I remember walking down these staircases with high heels ! Now there are still discos but of course they have completely changed and their names too.



The view from the rotunda in all directions




The shops and boutiques are different too, but still rather expensive.



Just opposite the Gallery, where once only houses stood, is now a pedestrian area and the houses are all transformed into restaurants, just one after the other and for every taste !

I had lunch there to finish my walk into the past !

CARTOON FESTIVAL IN BRUSSELS 2014

September 9, 2014

With the Smurfs taking over New York and Tintin making his mark in Hollywood, Brussels has a lot to be proud of. All the comic strip heroes from Brussels and Belgium were out and about, creating a fantastic atmosphere to celebrate their great success.

Brussels has spent the weekend revelling all its comic strip glory at the Place des Palais and all around the city in particular at the Belgian Comic Strip Centre guided visits and comics exhibitions took place. The Balloon’s Day Parade, comic strip animations, comic strip themed dinner, night time events and the Balloon's Day Parade with its cartoonesque gentle inflatable giants was parading in all their splendour along the streets of Brussels center.

I wanted to see at least a little bit of this event and went to the place in front of the  Royal Palace. I just arrived when the parade was ready to start to go through the city.



The police was standing there twiddling their thumbs or chatting in their smart phones. They had nothing to do, but watch the balloons.



It started here



and these were the most famous figures



Here they arrived



seen from the front



and from the back





Even the Atomium was swinging in the air



There were already lots of people waiting for the start.












and the different bands started to play and move

Although I had to take all the pictures out of my car because it was impossible to find a parking space, I have got a nice overview of this event. The last festival had been in 2011, but because of its success it will probably take place each year from now on.

MARKET HALL ST. GERY - BRUSSELS

September 2, 2014

When you have a visitor from abroad, you also discover new things in your own town. That happened to me when I wanted to show the ancient Market Hal of St. Géry to a friend.  I had never been there since the market halls had been renovated and the whole area around had changed. The covered market halls stand on a site where once the church of Saint-Géry stood, which was built in the 16th century.

Around this historic centre also stood four watermills, the sources of power of medieval industry. This place belongs to the historic heart of Brussels. After the church was demolished during the French Revolution, an obelisk fountain which came from the Grimbergen abbey was erected in the middle of the square. The Saint-Géry market was built in 1881 around this obelisk. The 3 floors of the hall was inaugurated in 1882 and was a very busy market hall.

Saint-Gery market continued its activities for many years, but became increasingly neglected by the traders after the Second World War and was finally closed in 1977.

The building is today one of the listed buildings in the Brussels region since January 21, 1987. Today it houses two associations entrusted with the heritage and environment of Brussels, and many exhibitions are held there.

Around the Hal Saint Géry there are now many restaurants, brasseries and bars.
In fact, the whole place around the market is very lively. It is a place of rendezvous for Brussels inhabitants, who come here to enjoy the many outdoor cafés.

Many designers are also installed around the square and the area is a very trendy and attractive place.





The halls from outside



There are 3 floors.



On the first floor around the obelisk are tables seats, sofas



and even a place with beach chairs.



There is also a bar for those who are thirsty





The view from the first floor to the second floor.



and down, where people play chess, backgammon or cards.



We were there in the morning so the place wasn't not yet so busy.





On the second floor was an exhibition about energy in Europe



and in the basement old photos and posters from the worker's unions.





houses around







and the restaurants and bars.

It is a real nice place to visit and I surely will go back there.