Here, on Rue des Fortifications, history whispers from every brick. The Rue des Fortifications reminds us of Brussels’ past. It echoes the old Fort Monterey. The street shares its history with Rue du Fort. People often confused the two streets.
Fort Monterey stood here. It rose in 1672 but was destroyed in 1782. Rue des Fortifications was built when Rue du Fort was created. Modest houses line this street. Most were built between 1864 and 1882. Their style? Neoclassical.
Many buildings have changed a lot since then. Some gained extra floors. Some got brick facades. Others had their ground floors altered. Shops appeared and later became homes again.
Let’s look closer at some examples along Rue des Fortifications. Number 1 and Chaussée de Waterloo 149-151 form a corner building. It dates back to 1870. One floor was added in 1891. Numbers 2 and Chaussée de Waterloo 153, 155, and 157 are three houses together. They were built in 1868. All three lost their original appearance after 1994. Number 2a shows neoclassical style. It was built in 1868. It has a fake window frame. The ground floor has been changed several times.
At number 4 stood a bakery. It had a flour storage area. This was before 1905. The building was greatly changed in 1964. Number 5 is a neoclassical house. It probably gained an extra floor. The ground floor was altered in 1968. Number 6 is also neoclassical. It was built in 1864. It gained a floor and a shopfront in 1925. The shopfront was changed in 1977. Numbers 7 and 7a show a neoclassical house. It was built in 1874. The ground floor was altered in 1980. Number 8 shows a neoclassical house from 1864. It got a wooden shopfront in 1922. This was changed in 1931.
Numbers 10 and 10a show a neoclassical house from 1865. The ground floor was altered. The original facade was removed. Numbers 11 is a neoclassical house. It was built in 1859 and gained a floor in 1888. Numbers 13, 15 and Rue du Celéri 24-26, 28 form four neoclassical houses. They were built in 1869. Number 15 is on the corner. Number 12 is a neoclassical house from 1865. Its original facade has been removed. Number 14 is neoclassical. It was built in 1865. A floor was added in 1909. Numbers 16 and 16a show a neoclassical-style house. It was built in 1865. The ground floor has been altered. A floor was added in 1937. Bricks were added to the facade in 1943.
Numbers 17, 19, 21 and Rue du Celéri 29, 31 are five neoclassical houses. They date to 1882. Number 21 has a brick facade. Number 31 Rue du Celéri stands on the corner. Number 29 Rue du Celéri gained a mansard roof. Its facade was removed. The ground floor was altered. Numbers 18 and 18a show a modernist apartment building. It is signed “R Lemaire architecte”. The year “1932” is above the cornice. Number 20 is a neoclassical house from 1867. It now has a brick facade. Number 22 shows a house with neoclassical influence. It was built in 1867. A floor was added under the mansard roof in 1907.
Number 23 is a neoclassical house. It was built in 1879. A floor was added in 1933. Number 24 is neoclassical. It was built in 1868. It gained a floor in 1897. The ground floor was changed in 1955. The facade has bricks. Numbers 25 and 27 are two houses together. They were built in 1877. Number 25 is cemented. A floor was added. Number 27 is eclectic with a colorful facade. Numbers 26 is a postmodern building. It was built around 1994. It replaced a house from 1866. It was designed with number 28. Number 28 is a neoclassical house. It was built in 1866. Van Havermaet was the contractor. It was designed with number 26. It is now a postmodern building. A floor has been added. The facade has bricks.
Numbers 29 and 31 are two neoclassical houses. They date from 1877. A floor was added to number 29 in 1929. Number 33 is a neoclassical house. It dates to 1880. The ground floor was altered in 1986. Number 35 stands on the corner of Rue du Fort. It is a neoclassical house. It was built in 1876. A floor was added in 1939. The facade was removed. Numbers 36-38-38a show an old building. It was used for storage and stables. This dates to 1902. A floor was added in 1903. Number 40 is a neoclassical house. It was built in 1866. A floor was added in 1930. A wooden shopfront was added in 1925. It has a curved cornice. Numbers 42 and 44 are two neoclassical houses. They date to 1876. Shopfronts were added in 1930 and 1926.
Rue des Fortifications carries echoes of a fortified past. It reminds us of the Fort of Monterey. Today, it is a street of neoclassical houses. These houses have seen many changes over time.