Kraainem

't Kapelleke

The chapel referred to as 't kapelleke by local residents (literally, the chapel) is located at the intersection point of the Jozef van Hovestraat, the Lijsterbessenbomenlaan, the Bossstraat and the Kapellelaan. At the time of its construction in 1932, there were no buildings around its current site, and with the exception of the Jozef van Hovestraat, all streets were unpaved roads. By 1932 however, the crossing became increasingly important because of the expansion of the Laag Kraainem residential area, and the construction of the Salesian Monastery along the Kapellelaan 1 km further between 1928 and 1930. As more streets were added in later years, a roundabout was constructed to divert traffic away from the immediate surroundings of the chapel and preserve the original roads. The chapel is one of the most iconic landmarks of Kraainem, and known by local children because of the adjacent kindergarten and primary school. The chapel is completely surrounded by buildings, and therefor lost most of its authentic outlook. Can be easily reached from Low Kraainem by following the Jozef van Hovestraat up the hill, around a 5-min walk.

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Bouvier-Washer Cité

Bouvier-Washerwijk

The Cité, built between 1920 and 1923, was envisioned as a social residential complex for veterans from the First World War who returned from the front line with disabilities. The chlorine gas used as chemical weapon in the early stages of the war in particular turned out to be rarely deadly because it was dispersed in the air, but caused irreversible damage to the lungs of many unprepared soldiers. For the first time in history, large numbers of veterans thus returned home with permanent breathing problems, a disability preventing reintegration in the labour market. At the end of the First World War in 1918, Belgian social security was unprepared to cope with this new phenomenon, and the Association sans but lucratif au profit des mutiléls de guerre (Association for the benevolence of war mutilated individuals) was founded to construct cheap social housing for the victims. Many such social cités were constructed in Kraainem, the Bouvier-Washer Cité was among the first. The architecture is typically regional: red brick facades alternating with brightly painted surfaces, abutments to the corners of walls, anchors and plaits, etc. The neighbouring Korenbloemstraat served the same purpose but was added 10 years later between 1930 and 1932. Many buildings have been modified, but the authentic looks were preserved in Korenbloemstraat no. 28. The Cité is still used as a residential area, as houses were sold or passed on to heirs after the original veteran inhabitants died. A 20- to 25-min walk from High Kraainem, follow Koningin Astridlaan direction Stokkel until the crossing with the Wezembeeklaan, then take left. Alternatively, take bus 352 direction Kraainem Metro and get off at stop Koningin Astrid.

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Central Park

A small park near the geographic centre of Kraainem, hence its name. Adjacent to the famous Bouvier-Washer Cité, it offers visitors benches to rest and a calm environment to enjoy the surroundings. The park is maintained as a natural habitat for local fauna, by keeping grass mowing to a strict minimum. In the early morning or late evening, encounters with wildlife are likely, and visitors can enjoy observing rabbits, weasels and even foxes in the wild. It is formally prohibited to feed wildlife, and visitors should refrain from taking out food around animals, foxes in particular.

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Eclair Park

Eclairpark

A small park in Low Kraainem, the counterpart of the Jourdain park in High Kraainem. Willow trees are the symbol of Kraainem, and the willow tree of the Eclair park is one of the last remaining, after the iconic willow tree in front of the Saint Pancras Church was chopped during the renovation of the church in 2011. The pond is fed by a small spring, which used to be a source of fresh water for the inhabitants of Low Kraainem, but due to ground water contamination, the spring water is no longer suitable for human consumption. The pond drains into the Kleine Maalbeek, which in turns merges into the Woluwe 200 m further. The pond is a rich biome, as evidenced by the countless water plants in and around it. The pond also functions as flood water storage. A small recreation area makes the park a popular destination for families with young kids in Low Kraainem.

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High Kraainem

Hoog-Kraainem

Well preserved remains of the first residential activities in High Kraainem, dating from a Frankish settlement in the 9th century. The complex of interlocked houses and farmsteads, erected in the local sandstone but painted with white walls, is situated between the Saint Pancras Church and Jourdain castle. There is evidence of a stronghold historically situated west of the current location of the church, but it was demolished by the end of the 14th century because it lost its strategic importance. A map of 1397 only reports the location of the moats (fossa castri), which were eventually backfilled and repurposed. No visible evidence remains of the stronghold's existence. From the 14th century to the 19th century, High Kraainem remained a small settlement: at the time of the Belgian independence in 1830, only 15 houses were counted in High Kraainem.

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Industrial Heritage Monument

Evenwicht

The monument consists of three giant splinters, one wooden and two aluminum, commemorating the rich industrial legacy of Kraainem in the 19th and 20th century. Paper mills in particular have been historically important for employment in Low Kraainem, which was ideally located because of the water supply from the Woluwe and Kleine Maalbeek, and the supply of wood from the nearby Sonian Forest. From the extensive industrial complexes with paper mills, grain mills and brewery, nothing remains. The monument was designed by Rainer Gross and inaugurated in 2000. Easily reachable from either High and Low Kraainem with a 15- to 20-min walk up the hill towards Stokkel. Alternatively, take bus 352 and get off at Koningin Astrid.

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Jewish cemetery

Joods kerkhof

Before 1930, the area of the current cemetery existed as garden for the castle park of Edward De Burbure of Wezembeek. With the rapid expansion of Kraainem in the first half of the 20th century, the cemetery around the Saint Pancras Church lacked the necessary capacity, and the need for a larger cemetery became evident. The area was purchased by the Kraainem municipality in 1933, and it was turned into a cemetery the next year with the construction of 2 service buildings. At the southern entrance of the cemetery, a small area is dedicated to war casualties and veterans. The larger section is reserved for the Jewish community, with was constructed in 1946 and later expanded in 1959. Many graves are victims from the Breendonk concentration camp. A memorial monument for unidentified Nazi victims is overlooking the area. The cemetery is a 15-min walk away from High Kraainem.

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Jourdain Castle

Jourdainkasteel

The castle was built as a farmstead with a U-shape surrounded by multiple vegetable gardens, as documented in 1771. In 1846, the farmstead was expanded, surrounded by a brick wall, and transformed into a closed farmstead (vierkantshoeve). A barn was also added, but demolished in the late 20th century. It was purchased by doctor Delphin Gaillard in 1883 together with the surrounding park. He gave the 18th century farmstead its current castle appearance, with emphasis on traditional style elements: brick masonry, corners of white sandstone, stepped gables, small towers and a roof resembling a Chinese pagoda. The castle and park were then sold to Victor Jourdain who gave his name to the castle, and in 1980 the property was transferred to the Kraainem municipality which restored the building and used it as community center. The last restoration dates from 2003, when a lift was added. The castle is occasionally opened to the public for cultural events, and is classified as Flemish Architectural Heritage. It hosted a florist until late 1990s, which occupied the large veranda. Recreation grounds with a children's farm make the castle a popular attraction for local families with kids.

Jourdain Park

Jourdainpark

The area east of the High Kraainem residential complex, at the time along the curvy road that connected Kraainem with Wezembeek, was purchased in 1883 by doctor Delphin Gaillard. The park only came to existence in 1899 when successive owner Victor Jourdain, who gave his name to the park, added 8.5 ha of marsh and woodland to the area before the start of the First World War in 1914. After his death in 1918, his heirs added the large ponds along the Kleine Maalbeek to the park, an addition of 4 ha. This included a watermill, which used the largest of the two ponds as a reservoir. The park consisted of the current ponds, but also a vegetable garden and orchard. A large portion of the park was sacrificed for the construction of highway R0 in 1973. From then on, the park was governed by the Kraainem municipality. The park hosts a large variety of rare and exotic plants and trees, including Platanus x hispanica, Tilia platyphyllos, T. tomentosa, Aesculus hippocastanum, and Sequoiadendron giganteum.

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Low Kraainem

Laag-Kraainem

Low Kraainem is in the valley of the Woluwe river, a side river from the Senne, and found its origin at the point where the Kleine Maalbeek (consisting of the Wezembeek and the Sterrebeek) merge into the Woluwe. The historic trajectories of the Woluwe and the Kleine Maalbeek were characterised by many ponds and marshes, but these have gradually disappeared in the 19th and 20th century. The residential centre of Low Kraainem primarily consisted of the Jozef Van Hovestraat (previously Kerreweg, Steenstraete and Crainhemstraete, but in 1914 renamed after Jozef Van Hove who was major of Kraainem), Molenstraat and Jef. Thumasstraat. With the construction of the E40 viaduct and Woluwe Avenue, much of the historic centre have been destroyed, and the Jozef Van Hovestraat was cut in two halves. Many historic buildings have been preserved however: an 18th-century traditional farmstead at nr. 90-92 and a farmhouse from 1739 at nr. 86. Both are evidence of early residential development in the area, encouraged by the tram line that existed at the time (Statieplaats means station square in Dutch). Other historic architecture can be found at nr. 1, 5, 7B, 20, 15-21, 37, 78-82 and 115.

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Old Lease house

Oud Pachthof

Situated along the route of the tram line that used to connect Low Kraainem with High Kraainem and Sterrebeek, the Lease house is assumed to have served as the central registrar of agricultural properties in Low Kraainem and High Kraainem. The function dates back from before the 19th century, when almost all farmland was property of large land owners, and farmers could only lease the land in exchange for a portion of the crops it yielded. The building dates from late 17th century, but it has been renovated multiple times. Kraainem's council meetings presumably took place at this location until the current town hall was constructed in 1867-1868. A lounge bar is housed in the building.

Old Tram Track

Oud tramspoortje

Trajectory of a historic tram track connecting the royal palace in Laken with the king's summer residence in Tervuren (now it's the Africa museum). Only a fraction of the historic track is in use, the remainder converted into a long stretched park reaching from Kraainem to Oudergem. Used by students of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel as bicycle highway to reach the Etterbeek campus. Beautiful trajectory, crossing the border between Flanders and Brussels. Approximate length is 8 km. To return by metro, take line 5 in Oudergem towards Erasmus/Erasme and change for line 1 towards Stokkel/Stockel at Merode. Not recommendable in rainy weather.

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Old Vicarage

Oude Pastorie

A vicarage built in 1652 with a foundation of sandstone and red bricks. The characteristic arc door and slate roof, typical for the era it was built in, have survived restoration efforts. It remained in use as vicarage until 1906, when a new vicarage was built next to the current town hall at Arthur Dezangré Avenue. The building was recognised as architectural heritage in 1976 and restored in 1990. One of the curiosities of the vicarage is a small mechanical single person elevator hidden in the tower under the saddle roof, but it has been out of service for years. The building hosts a restaurant by Maxime Collin.

Peace Square

Vredesmonument

Memorial site for the local casualties of the two world wars. The square and its monument were constructed in 1930 when the adjacent Queen Astrid Avenue was conceived as the connection between High Kraainem and Stokkel. Before 1930, there were no buildings or roads at the current location. The monument is signed by Victor Demanet who led its construction. Later, inscriptions in memorial of the Second World War were added along with the text gij hebt den dank verdiend van 't vaderland (you have deserved the gratitude of the fatherland). The monument was inaugurated by King Albert I.

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Saint Pancras Church

Sint-Pancratiuskerk

The oldest building in Kraainem, the Saint Pancras Church has its origins in the 12th century. The massive Roman tower with walls up to 1.7 meters thick most likely had a military function. Initially, the church was added to the tower and had a simple rectangular shape. In the 13th and 14th century, the northern wing was added to the church. With financial help of the Affligem abbey, the small choir was transformed in the 16th century into the Gothic choir that remains. Until the 18th century, the entrance to the church was a small door in the south wall, the side that now faces the Kraainem town hall. Around 1720, the entrance was moved to the current baroque gate in the tower. From 1170 onwards, the church underwent significant changes: the asymmetric layout was abandoned, and a third section was added under the same saddle roof. The current sacristy, pulpit and two confessionals were also added. The interior was enhanced with furniture that was not originally intended for the church: the origin of the organ is still a mystery, and in 1873 two altars were purchased for 100 francs each from a Brussels church. At the end of the 19th century, the church escaped a complete transformation in Neo-Romanian style, and a more humble design of Jules Van Ysendyck was chosen instead, which preserved much of the antique interior. In 1984, pastor Vanzulpele observed a depression in the archway above the choir, which started a sequence of restorations finally completed in 2012. The current interior is based on the interior after the renovations of 1770. The graveyard around the church is no longer in use and only serves to preserve the historic image of the building. Religious ceremonies are still being held on Saturday and Sunday, when the church can be visited.

Sat 17:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–12:00·Free

Salesian Monastery

Klooster van de Visitatie

The order of the Salesians was founded in 1610 close to Annecy in France by Jeanne de Chantal and Francis of Sales, who gave his name to the order. On 12 February 1667, a monastery was founded in Brussels -- then part of the Southern Netherlands -- but the success of the order was strongly variable in time and by the first half of the 19th century it was nearly extinct in Brussels. A second start on 21 November 1845 had more success, and not even a century later the original location was too small to house the order. Architect Paul Bellot, born in 1876 and specialised in religious architecture, was tasked with the design of a new monastery located outside Brussels. Then still rural Kraainem was chosen because of its remote location, at the time there were no other buildings on the hill, and the closest settlement was Low Kraainem which was only accessible by a narrow unpaved road (now the Kapellelaan). Construction started in 1928, and by the end of 1930 when it was finished, the monastery had become a popular pilgrim destination. Unlike similar monasteries in Belgium, which started out small and were gradually expanded, the availability of sufficient space and budget allowed the entire site to be built at once between 1928 and 1930. All buildings thus show the same style elements, many of which were typical for the designs of Paul Bellot: polychrome bricks from Zandvoorde (a municipality close to Oostende near the Belgian coast) and extensive use of concrete for structural and decorative purposes. Art deco and brick modernism influences can be observed in all aspects of construction. Only the building sides facing the streets (Kapellelaan and Hebronlaan) are decorated (for example, a Madonna sculpture above the entrance), the sides facing the inner sanctum, gardens and orchards do not have any decoration. The architecture and degree of decoration reveals the originally intended purpose of the rooms in the buildings, a feature called architecture parlante. The facad

Sonian Forest

Zoniënwoud

The Sonian Forest, covering an area of ca. 4400 ha, is the largest and best preserved remnant of the historical Silva Carbonaria, commonly known as the charcoal forest, that in the 4th century still stretched from Thuin to Brussels. It has a large geomorphological value because significant sections on the Loess plateau had never been felled in history, thus retaining the characteristics of a primeval forest. The highest point reaches 133 m above sea level. The source of the IJse is in the centre of the Sonian Forest, and its trajectory spawned countless ponds, creeks and marshes. Archaeological evidence of human activity in the Sonian Forest has been traced back to neolithic remains over 5000 years old. Remains of iron ore smelters from the Carolingian era have also been found. It is presumably under the reign of Charles the Great (768-814) that the Sonian Forest got split off from the Silva Carbonaria and developed an independent fauna and flora. Under Austrian reign in the 18th century, thousands of beech trees were planted, which is still visible. From the 18th century onwards, the forest saw increasing economic importance: several monasteries and priories were built in and around it, and the countless ponds served to provide them with a supply of fish whereas the forest itself had a hunting ground function. Nearly nothing of these buildings remains, but the intense network of droveways reveals their historic locations and importance. Under French rule, from 1794 to 1814, the Sonian Forest was nationalised, and large areas were felled for economic reasons. After the Belgian independence of 1830, parts of the forest were sold off to individuals to fill the new country's treasury, but in 1843 it became property of the state. The first half of the 19th century brought new disaster to the forest, however, when in 1832 the General Society (Société Generale) started the construction of roads that cut the forest in smaller pieces. A railway connection between Brussels a

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