Maison Saint-Cyr

Maison Saint Cyr is a house in the Quartier des Squares district of Brussels, and designed by Gustave Strauven in the Art Nouveau style. The house is private, so I could only admire it from the outside. The facade is narrow as is common in Belgium and theNetherlands. It's richly decorated with balconies of wrought ironwork. Each balcony has a balustrade that is unusual in being unique. Each forms a beautiful set of lines, curves and geometric figures, reminiscent of an interlacing of plants and tree branches. The decorative elements of the windows are also distinctly Art Nouveau and would not be out of place in Catalan Mordernism. The building is off the main tourist circuit in Brussels, but worth it if you have time.

While the location garners significant hype, I'm uncertain if it genuinely merits such acclaim. After all, the opportunities for photography are limited mostly to exterior shots. Furthermore, the surroundings are merely residential with not much else of interest in the vicinity. Beyond this singular attraction, the area offers little else to engage a visitor. And see the questions asked by Google… How long did you wait to enter? 0 minutes because you can’t enter. And Do you recommend buying tickets? There are no tickets you can’t enter.

Strange looking building that truly stands out.

The most extravagant and astonishing example of Brussels Art Nouveau is without doubt Saint-Cyr House, with its breathtaking steelwork the most eye-catching feature. Masterfully decorated thanks to its abundant and sumptuous use of glass and steel on the 4-metre wide facade, the house is truly a stunning sight. The house was built between 1900 and 1903 and was the home of artist and decorator Léonard de Saint-Cyr. It was designed by Brussels architect Gustave Strauwen, who was a student of the legendary Victor Horta, when he was only 21 years old. Incidentally, opinion was split about this Art Nouveau gem until relatively recently. In 1967 the City of Brussels’ chief architect said the following about the building’s façade: “ “it lacks the uniformity needed for an artwork; the individual elements clash and give the impression of a haphazard and less than harmonious fantasy, which is even clearer in the presence of an exterior staircase of questionable taste”. Six years later and opinions remained unchanged. The Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes described it as “… a tumultuous work, of astonishing proportions, which at first glance looks like a theatre set, then reveals itself to be a serious, ordered and logical architectural story.”.

If you like Art nouveau, here is a master piece

Exceptional Art Nouveau house. Can't be visited inside for the time being, but the façade is its most unique element.

This building is awesome and trippy and I am glad we took a detour to check it out.

Iconic Brussels art nouveau house - not open to public