Where does Rue du Fort get its name? Right here before us lies the answer. This unassuming street in Saint-Gilles holds a fascinating secret a military past. Rue du Fort Fortstraat its very name whispers tales of the Fort de Monterey.
Built between 1672 and 1675 this imposing structure was no ordinary fort. General de Monterey oversaw its construction. This six-hectare fortress was designed to protect Brussels from southern attacks. Imagine its thick walls six meters wide seven meters high. Inside stood a barracks a command post a prison and storage facilities. The heart of the fort lay near the current intersection of Rue du Fort and Rue des Fortifications.
But the Fort de Monterey’s reign was short-lived. In 1782 it was sold to Adrien Sterckx and Van Gijsel. They had to demolish it. This demolition was not completed until 1862. Its memory however lives on in the street’s name. Think of the laborers dismantling the fort brick by brick. Their hard work created the very street we stand on today.
Before the fort existed an older path called Postweg. This path led from Saint-Gilles church towards Forest. The fort’s construction partially obliterated this old road. A section remained becoming a covered path a ‘bedekte weg’ offering access to the fort. This path was shielded by palisades.
Rue du Fort’s alignment was officially approved in 1869. Originally it connected the parvis to the cemetery of Notre-Dame de la Chapelle. This cemetery existed from the 1780s until 1892. The street was then extended to Avenue du Parc in 1894.
From the 1860s onwards modest neoclassical houses appeared along Rue du Fort. Many feature ground-floor shops often altered over time. The final section of the street shows later eclectic architecture. This area includes several social housing units some with Art Deco features.
Many houses underwent significant alterations in the 20th century. Additions were built ground floors were modified facades were changed. Behind the houses were workshops stables and carpentry shops. Many of these buildings have been converted into homes.
So next time you walk down Rue du Fort remember its history. It’s not just a street. It’s a testament to military history urban development and the resilience of a community. It is a legacy built on the past yet living in the present. The Fort de Monterey may be gone but its story is forever etched in the very name of this street.