A tributary of the Senne. That is the Woluwe stream. It can still largely be seen today. Woluwe-Saint-Pierre derives its name from this very stream.
Welcome to Woluwe. It is one of Brussels’ 19 municipalities. Today, we will explore its rich history. We will discover what makes this place so special.
The first mention of Woluwe was in 1117. It appeared in a charter from Forest. Back then, the hamlet and farms belonged to Park Abbey near Leuven. The 16th century brought hard times. Philip II of Spain’s wars against Protestants caused poverty and famine. Safety returned in the early 17th century. Archdukes Albert VII and Isabella ruled then. They built the first grand alley from Tervuren to Brussels. It was known as the Street of the Duke.
The French Revolution also troubled Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. Roads became unsafe. Religious freedoms were limited. Much wildlife was killed for food. People burned peat for heat because coal and wood were scarce. The local government gained independence from Brussels. It got its first mayor on May 26. The first municipal council was formed in 1819. New commercial opportunities brought wealth.
The municipality grew slowly until the late 1800s. New roads were built. The Avenue de Tervueren was one of them. A new train track appeared. Mansions and Woluwe Park were designed. All this happened between 1880 and 1910. A racetrack was built in 1906. It is now gone. Homes were built after World War One. Urbanization continued after World War Two. Farming and fisheries disappeared after 1918. The area now relies on the service sector.
Woluwe Park is a major attraction. It features giant sequoias and cypresses. Many birds live there. Mute swans, gulls, and grey herons can be seen. The Municipal Hall is modern. Visitors are welcome.
Saint Peter’s Church is another key site. It was built in 1755. It stands where an older church once stood. Forest Abbey provided the funds. You can still see traces of the old building. Look to the left of the current church.
Several old houses and manors remain. The Stoclet Palace is one. Josef Hoffmann designed it. It was built between 1905 and 1909. Adolphe Stoclet, a Belgian financier, owned it. Gustav Klimt created mosaics and paintings for it. The Bibliotheca Wittockiana has a world-class bookbinding collection.
A memorial stands on Avenue Jules-César. It honors the Belgian Volunteer Corps for Korea. They fought in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. The Brussels Tram Museum displays old trams and buses.
Many famous people have lived in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. Jean Bingen, a papyrologist, died here. Henri d’Orléans, Count of Paris, also lived here. Eddy Merckx, a famous cyclist, was a resident. He won the Tour de France many times.
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre is twinned with several cities. These include Ruyumba in Rwanda. Gangnam-gu in Seoul is another. New Iberia in Louisiana is also a twin city. Pecica in Romania is another one. Chaoyang in China and Chennai in India complete the list.
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre has transformed over centuries. From rural roots, it became a residential hub. Its history is etched in its streets and buildings. The Woluwe stream continues to flow. It connects the past to the present.