Once a bustling hub, now a vibrant district. That’s the story of the Depot at Tour & Taxis. This spot was once part of a large industrial site in Brussels. It sits on the Brussels Canal, a short distance from the city center.
The history of Tour & Taxis goes back centuries. The Thurn und Taxis family, known for their postal service, owned land here. By 1516, they had moved to Brussels. They then organized the first international postal service. Their horse-based postal service was based in Brussels for nearly two centuries. The family’s name stuck to the area. It became known as Tour & Taxis.
During the 19th century, Belgium saw major industrial growth. The Willebroek Canal became vital for global trade. In 1895, the Belgian State chose Tour & Taxis for a new commercial station. Construction began in 1900. King Leopold II attended the opening festivities.
Tour & Taxis became a multi-modal freight transport platform. The Maritime Station was central to this. It efficiently received goods by land, water, and rail. Major cargo included sugar, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, and chocolate. The Royal Depot served as a bonded warehouse. Customs duties were collected on-site. The buildings reflected Flemish Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles.
In its prime in the 1960s, Tour & Taxis employed almost 3,000 people. But as Europe’s economy changed, so did Tour & Taxis’ role. The Treaty of Rome in 1957 reduced customs duties. The expansion of roads facilitated transport by road. The original function of the buildings became less relevant. By the 1990s, the site was up for sale.
In 2001, Project T&T purchased the site. The Royal Depot was the first building to be redeveloped. The train track became an inner walkway with shops and restaurants. The former storerooms turned into office space. The Public Depot, now called the Sheds, became an events venue.
Today, the Maritime Station is being renovated. It will become a year-round covered neighborhood. It will have workspaces, a food hall, and gardens. The renovation uses geothermal energy. It also repurposes materials from the original building.
New office buildings have also been added. The Brussels Environment building is a passive office building. The Herman Teirlinck building houses the Flemish Government administration. In 2008, Tour & Taxis received the European Heritage Europa Nostra Award. This recognized the conservation of its heritage buildings.
Rail lines were replaced with a 9-hectare park. Residential apartments were added in 2017. The City of Brussels is developing a pedestrian and cyclist bridge. New tram lines will connect Tour & Taxis to other parts of the city.
Citizens named the new streets on the site. One street is called Ceci n’est pas une rue. It references René Magritte’s painting. Another street honors the painter Anna Boch.
PermaFungi grows oyster mushrooms in the Royal Depot basement. They use coffee grounds from Le Pain Quotidien. Parckfarm T&T operates an edible park with classes on gardening and cooking. Brasserie de la Senne opened a brewery across from the Royal Depot. The Depot at Tour & Taxis shows how a historic site can be reborn. It’s now a place for work, leisure, and community.