Does this street’s name pique your curiosity? Rue De Mot, or De Motstraat, has a story to tell. This Brussels street wasn’t always called Rue De Mot. It was originally known as Rue du Pré. The street owes its current name to Jean-André De Mot. He owned the land along the street. He was also the father of Émile De Mot. Émile became a mayor of Brussels.
Rue De Mot follows the path of an old road. This road was called “Oude weg”. It was one of the oldest paths in the area. It connected Rue du Cornet to the road along the Maelbeek. This is now known as Chaussée d’Etterbeek.
The north section of the street disappeared in 1869. This happened when Rue Belliard was extended. The original alignment from 1867 was changed. This prevented encroachment on Mr. De Mot’s land. Rue De Mot was widened in 1903.
The buildings along Rue De Mot are not uniform. You’ll see neoclassical houses with coated facades. These have two or three levels. Examples include numbers 3, 5, and 7, built in 1890. Number 45 dates back to around 1874. There are also eclectic buildings with brick facades. Number 27, designed by architect W. Defontaine, was built in 1906. Numbers 35 to 39 were constructed in 1898.
An industrial building stands at number 15. Built in 1914, it was originally a power plant. It supplemented the Brussels tramway company. Buildings from the interwar period are also present. Number 14 was built in 1928.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs dominates the street’s end. It is located at numbers 24-26 and 30. Constructed in 1964, it replaced a grand neo-Flemish Renaissance-style house. This house dated back to 1898. An Orthodox chapel is located at number 47 on Rue De Mot.
You can still discover De Mot B&B here today. It is a family bed and breakfast. It is located in the heart of the European District.