An exotic visit to the Royal Greenhouses in Brussels

Considered one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Europe, the Royal Greenhouses in Laeken (a commune of Brussels) are home to an exotic collection of absolutely incredible tropical plants. What's more, its architecture, with its splendid Art Nouveau-style glass roofs, is bound to transport you for the duration of your visit. And it's in spring that the public rediscovers this Art Nouveau jewel in wonder. For three weeks, the Royal Greenhouses are open to the delight of young and old alike. If you're planning a visit to Brussels during the opening period, this is a must-see! A kilometre of greenhouses awaits you. Discover an astonishing collection of palm forests, tree ferns, lianas and rare plants, giving you the impression of being immersed in a lush tropical forest.

⭐ Novotel Brussels City Centre

The Royal Greenhouses are located in the commune of Laeken, quite far from the centre of Brussels. So prefer accommodation in the heart of the city, and reach the greenhouses by public transport. The greenhouses are next to the Atomium, so it's a great opportunity to combine the two visits!

You will plunge into the heart of the Royal estate, the Château de Laeken, which is none other than the principal residence of the country's sovereigns, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Built in the 18th century as a secondary residence for the Archdukes of Austria, Marie-Christine and Albert of Saxe-Teschen. All part of the royal estate, which covers more than 200 hectares. The park surrounding the castle and glasshouses is also absolutely magnificent. In spring, it is decked out in lights, with a lake, rock gardens, rose gardens, flowerbeds, cherry blossom trees, groves and ponds, all designed and laid out in the English garden style. All carefully maintained, it is undoubtedly considered one of the most beautiful gardens in the kingdom.

The royal greenhouses came into being at the end of the 19th century under the impetus of King Leopold II, who had a certain taste for the colonies... The 19th century saw the birth of technical progress in architecture, and it was at this time that the use of glass and metal were incorporated into building materials. All of which made it possible to build greenhouses! And so it was that in 1873, the architect Alphonse Balat and his pupil Victor Horta presented the reigning king with the complex Royal Greenhouses project, revealing the appearance of a glass city in a hilly landscape. They are now classed as one of the largest glasshouses in the world, comprising 2.5 hectares of glass.

The king was a great botanical enthusiast and wanted to create a garden housing a collection of rare exotic plants from all over the world. The greenhouses were designed around monumental pavilions, large glass domes and wide galleries. It was a kind of ideal glass palace, a spectacular innovation for its time, like London's Crystal Palace, built a few years earlier. It's probably fair to say that the Royal Greenhouses largely inspired the new era of architecture in Belgium. Art Nouveau was in its infancy, its architectural style combining iron, cast iron, steel and glass, mixed with numerous floral motifs, responding to organic curves, and the Royal Greenhouses made a major contribution to its influence throughout the kingdom at first and then around the world.

The tropical greenhouse is undoubtedly the most impressive of all. It houses a collection of tree ferns, lianas and magnificent plants. The floor is covered in moss and ferns, giving the impression of being immersed in a lush tropical forest. Some of the plants still date back to the colonial era. Indeed, Leopold II brought back exotic flowers from the Congo. There are also some extremely rare plants that are priceless. The landing stage is devoted to welcoming guests when the King receives his guests in the Winter Garden or in the Dining Room greenhouse. The Winter Garden was the first greenhouse to be built. Pharaonic in size, it was used to plant tall palm trees, which have been there since 1876! This plant collection includes thousands of species, each as beautiful as the next.

The Royal Greenhouses at Laeken were closed to the public for many years, but were restored in the 1980s and reopened to the public. Today, they attract thousands of visitors every year and are considered one of Brussels' most popular tourist attractions.