I was beyond excited to visit Brussels. After all, it is pretty much the Art Nouveau capital of the world, boasting over hundreds of Art Nouveau buildings. And you know my torrent love for all things Art Nouveau.
Before my trip, I had downloaded a Art Nouveau-themed walking map from the Brussels tourism website. It had a list of addresses of notable Art Nouveau buildings.
And because free time in Brussels was quite limited, an Art Nouveau morning run seemed like the perfect idea.
I mapped out a fairly straight forward running route near the hotel using the provided addresses. And the hotel concierge was kind enough to point out the to-be-avoided neighbourhoods.
[Sidebar] No matter how advanced smartphones/tablets become, I found that paper maps are still the way to go when running in a unfamiliar city. Light and easy to carry, they can even double as a makeshift umbrella in a jam.
It was really disappointing to find that over half of the houses on the planned route were plain-looking apartments. I think someone must have made a mistake on the original walking map since it can no longer be found on the Brussels tourism website.
It would be a lie to say that I wasn't disappointed with the Art Nouveau houses that I did see. The elements were certainly there but very subtly done. I was expecting elaborate and fantastical facades covered with goddess murals and accented with endless swirls and flowers.
And those buildings do exist in Brussels, if Google images are to be trusted.
It would have been lovely to have a few more days in Brussels and just explore the city at a more leisurely pace. Looks like a return trip is in order. And hopefully next time, I'll get to see truly fantastical Art Nouveau buildings and maybe even tour inside.
But for now, this would have to do.
Before my trip, I had downloaded a Art Nouveau-themed walking map from the Brussels tourism website. It had a list of addresses of notable Art Nouveau buildings.
And because free time in Brussels was quite limited, an Art Nouveau morning run seemed like the perfect idea.I mapped out a fairly straight forward running route near the hotel using the provided addresses. And the hotel concierge was kind enough to point out the to-be-avoided neighbourhoods.
[Sidebar] No matter how advanced smartphones/tablets become, I found that paper maps are still the way to go when running in a unfamiliar city. Light and easy to carry, they can even double as a makeshift umbrella in a jam.
It was really disappointing to find that over half of the houses on the planned route were plain-looking apartments. I think someone must have made a mistake on the original walking map since it can no longer be found on the Brussels tourism website.
Hotel Solvay
Finally, a building that actually looked like it belonged in the Art Nouveau period. The detailing were very understated - mostly on the wrought iron balcony and wood doors.
My favourite building during the run.
Some more houses with Art Nouveau detailing.
It would be a lie to say that I wasn't disappointed with the Art Nouveau houses that I did see. The elements were certainly there but very subtly done. I was expecting elaborate and fantastical facades covered with goddess murals and accented with endless swirls and flowers.
And those buildings do exist in Brussels, if Google images are to be trusted.
It would have been lovely to have a few more days in Brussels and just explore the city at a more leisurely pace. Looks like a return trip is in order. And hopefully next time, I'll get to see truly fantastical Art Nouveau buildings and maybe even tour inside.
But for now, this would have to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment