Doorway

This is the art deco door of our apartment building. Our apartment building is part of a complex that was designed and built right after World War I.

At the time it was built the complex was full of luxurious apartments for the Brussels bourgeoisie and aristocracy. Anyone renting an apartment was able to call upon chambermaids and butlers designated to serve the residents of the complex. The complex not only contained apartments, but also restaurants, a theatre, a swimming pool with a Turkish bath, conference rooms, a hairdresser's and barber shop, a bank, a post office, garages, grocers, a florist's shop, a chocolate shop, and more. The first residents moved into their apartment in 1927.

They would not stay there for long, because in 1940 the building was confiscated by the occupying German forces. After World War II, the complex was bought by the Belgian state. Almost all of the buildings of the complex were turned into offices. Our apartment building was sold and it was totally renovated a few years ago.