Have you ever wondered about the stories hidden within a seemingly ordinary street? Welcome to Rue Stevens-Delannoy Stevens-Delannoystraat in Brussels. This unassuming street holds a rich history woven into its very fabric. It connects Avenue Houba de Strooper to the intersection of Rue Félix Sterckx and Rue Reper-Vreven. Rue du Cloître also crosses its path.
Rue Stevens-Delannoy is more than just a thoroughfare. It’s a testament to a remarkable couple. The street is named in honor of Jean-Marie-Guillaume Stevens a civil engineer and director-general at the Ministry of Industry and Labor. His wife Marie Thérèse De Lannoy is also honored. Their names live on in the very stones beneath our feet.
The architecture of Rue Stevens-Delannoy is a captivating blend of styles. Many houses were built between 1904 and 1914. Most are in the eclectic style. Number 37 designed by architect Albert de Valeriola in 1911 stands as an example though it has been altered. Numbers 61 to 71 designed by architect Vuylsteke in 1910 represent another architectural style of the time. The interwar period saw additions of Beaux-Arts and Art Deco buildings like numbers 20 and 22. These were created by architect Alph Denef in 1923. Post-war modern apartment buildings also arose here including a complex built in 1920 for Foyer Laekenois at numbers 13 to 27.
This street is also home to a significant institution. Number 111 houses the Institut Maris Stella Saint-Lambert. This school started in the early 1930s. The Notre-Dame de Laeken association built the original building. Architect Paul Dhaeyer expanded the school in 1953. He added a large perpendicular wing. A gymnasium was added to the complex between 1988 and 1989. This impressive school stands as a symbol of community and education.
As we stand here on Rue Stevens-Delannoy Stevens-Delannoystraat we are standing on a timeline. We’re standing on a collection of architectural styles. Most importantly we are standing in a place that whispers stories of those who lived and worked here. Take a moment to absorb the history and imagine the lives that have unfolded along this street. The legacy of Jean-Marie-Guillaume and Marie Thérèse lives on not just in name but in the enduring spirit of this charming Brussels street.