Have you ever wondered about the stories etched into the very fabric of a city street? Today we explore Rue Emile Sergijsels in Brussels. This seemingly ordinary street holds a rich history. Its creation was intertwined with the development of a new neighborhood. The story begins in 1916. The acquisition of land in Dilbeek led to plans for a new cemetery in Koekelberg. This triggered the creation of a whole new district behind Sainte-Anne Church.
By 1922 initial plans for the new neighborhood were underway. The definitive decommissioning of the old communal cemetery in 1931 finally paved the way for new roads. Three new streets were opened Rue du Relais Sacré Rue de la Sécurité and our very own Rue Emile Sergijsels.
Building Rue Emile Sergijsels required the expropriation of the Koekelberg wire-drawing mills. This lengthy process only concluded in the late 1950s. This delayed the completion of the street’s last section. The expropriation also led to the removal of Avenue Michez. A narrow dead-end street since its creation in 1839.
The street was named in the early 1950s. This was when only its first section was completed. Rue Emile Sergijsels honors Emile Sergijsels. He was a council member who passed away in 1950 after 35 years of service to the municipality.
Between 1959 and 1972 apartment buildings were constructed along Rue Emile Sergijsels. Many were designed by the architect Frank L Jansen. He was particularly prolific in the area. Number 15 is home to the former girls’ communal school. Architect Henri Mardulyn designed it between 1957 and 1961. He used a similar style when he extended the boys’ school on Rue des Tisserands. During construction the school was renamed École Oscar Bossaert. So next time you stroll down Rue Emile Sergijsels remember the people and events that shaped this Brussels street. Their legacy lives on in the very stones beneath your feet.