How many secrets do you think this parking garage holds? This is not just any parking garage. This is the Rotonde Castellani.
The Rotonde Castellani has a rich history. It started as a place for panoramic paintings. Now it is a parking garage. Let’s dive into the story of this unique building.
The Rotonde Castellani is named after Charles Castellani. He was a famous panorama painter. The building was designed by Henri Rieck. The construction finished in 1879. It was built to show monumental circular paintings. These paintings were called panoramas.
Imagine stepping inside in 1881. Charles Castellani’s “The Battle of Waterloo” surrounds you. The details are incredible. You feel like you are right there in the battle. Later exhibits included the Zulu War and the last days of Pompeii. These panoramas immersed viewers in history.
The Rotonde Castellani was innovative for its time. Rieck designed a self-supporting iron roof. It had a skylight for natural light. Accessories added to the theatrical effect. Visitors walked on a sloping plane in the foreground. This made the paintings even more realistic.
However, the Rotonde Castellani faced challenges. Poor management led to its closure in 1888. For a while, a transport company used the space. Circuses also temporarily occupied it around the turn of the century.
In 1921, the panorama “The Battle of the Yser” arrived. It attracted 750000 visitors. After its run, it moved to Ostend. In 1924, the Plasman company transformed the Rotonde Castellani. It became a parking garage with four concrete plates and two car lifts.
The building’s facade has an eclectic style with Neo-Baroque elements. It features hard stone details. The facade has four stories plus a mezzanine. A mansard roof tops the structure. The middle and right corner sections rise higher creating a unique look.
Inside the parking garage hints of the original rotonde remain. On the third floor a large space with sixteen sides gives an idea of the panorama’s scale. The original metal frame in a dome shape is also visible. A small lantern tops the dome.
Today the Rotonde Castellani stands as a protected monument. The government recognized its artistic aesthetic historic and urban planning value in 2003. It reminds us of Brussels’ cultural evolution.
So next time you park here remember the Rotonde Castellani. It was once a place of art and wonder. Now it is a functional part of the city. Yet its history is etched in its walls and structure waiting to be discovered. The Rotonde Castellani is open every day at any time. Feel free to visit it.