Avenue de Tervueren meets Rue Georges et Jacques Martin. This Brussels street carries a poignant history. It’s more than just a road. It’s a memorial to lost lives.
Rue Georges et Jacques Martin was once called Rue du Chasseur. This earlier name referenced a local hunting ground. An old map from 1808 shows the “champ de la maison du chasseur” or the hunter’s house field. The street received its current name in 1918. It was renamed to honor Georges and Jacques Martin. These two sons of Nestor Martin died in the war. Nestor Martin lived at the corner of the street and Avenue de Tervueren. He was also an industrialist.
The street’s development occurred in stages. The first section was approved in 1900. It connected Avenue de Tervueren to Rue du Duc. The second section’s path was approved later. The communal council approved it in 1925. This section linked Rue du Duc to Rue de la Cambre.
Looking at the even-numbered side of Rue Georges et Jacques Martin, you’ll see mostly eclectic houses. These bourgeois homes and apartment buildings were built between 1900 and 1914.
The odd-numbered side once held a large property called Hutt. A striking Art Nouveau villa stood there. It was named Les quatre vents. The architect Georges Dhaeyer designed it in 1899. Sadly, it was demolished in 1947. In 1900, Dhaeyer added a beautiful Art Nouveau stable to the property. It faced the street. This stable was at the location of the current apartment building at number 13. Later, the Hutt property was divided. Various houses were built, mostly after the war.
The shorter second section of Rue Georges et Jacques Martin features buildings from the 1910s to 1930s. The architect François Vanvlasselaer designed a group of three of them. These are numbers 17 to 29.
At number 15 Rue Georges et Jacques Martin stands a townhouse. Rainbow Properties Exclusive acquired it. It combines the peace of the area’s narrow streets. It is also near the Rue des Tongres shopping area. The Parc du Cinquantenaire is also close by.
In 1906, entrepreneurs Prosper Dricot and Fils designed an eclectic building at Rue Georges et Jacques Martin. They intended it for their own use. The building features different colored materials. Blue stone and colored bricks were used. A white coating now hides these materials. The openings have metal lintels.
So, as we stand here on Rue Georges et Jacques Martin, remember its layers of history. It evolved from a hunting ground to a memorial. It showcases varied architectural styles. It is a street that silently narrates Brussels’ past.