A soldier’s sacrifice. That’s what Avenue Charles Michiels whispers. Right here in Brussels we stand before a street named for a fallen hero.
Avenue Charles Michiels a quiet avenue in Auderghem and Watermael-Boitsfort isn’t just a road. It’s a living memory. It stretches 430 meters from Rue du Brillant to Avenue de Beaulieu. This unassuming street holds a piece of Brussels’ history.
Originally part of the ancient Chemin des Meuniers the avenue’s path changed drastically. The construction of the Brussels-Namur (1854) and Brussels-Tervuren (1881) railways sliced through it. A new bridge was built over the tracks near Beaulieu. Its stunning view earned it the name Pont de Belle Vue.
In 1928 the college decided to name a section of this path after Charles Michiels. This brave soldier born December 26 1894 in Auderghem died September 28 1918 in Langemark. He was killed by gunfire during the First World War. Despite local objections and a similar name existing in Anderlecht the decision stood. The college refused to change the name.
The street’s history echoes with the sounds of the past. The rumble of trains a distant reminder of the railway’s impact. The quiet dignity of the street itself speaks volumes of the sacrifices made.
Despite requests to rename the street Belle Vue the name Charles Michiels remains. This small street carries a story. A story of a soldier a railway and a legacy that perseveres. Even today as we walk Avenue Charles Michiels we remember Charles Michiels his sacrifice and his enduring place in Brussels’ story. The legacy of the Pont de Belle Vue lives on even though the original name was rejected for the street.