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The Royal
Greenhouses of Laeken are among the major monuments of the 19th century in Belgium. They were built entirely in metal and glass, which represented a spectacular innovation for the time (as was the Crystal Palace in London). This complex takes on the appearance of a glass city set in a hilly
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The royal complex can only be visited each year during a two-week period in April–May, when most flowers are in full bloom. It is the opportunity to discover one of the most remarkable monuments of
Belgian heritage and to admire the collections of exotic plants and flowers, some of which have been
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were said to illustrate that power. In particular, the Congo
Greenhouse and the Embarcadère Greenhouse were built in 1886–1888 from this perspective. A third zone was constructed from 1892 to 1905. For this, following Balat's death in 1895, Leopold called upon the architects
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landscape. It is characterised by monumental pavilions, glass domes, as well as wide galleries that run through the land like covered streets. In the steel constructions, Balat introduced decorative motifs derived from plants and flowers. This formed a first step towards
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The Winter Garden at the palace in Laeken still serves as the setting for royal receptions. Every year in the spring, the greenhouses are partially opened to the public for twenty days at the request of
Leopold II. This tradition has been carried on by all
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of 1851 in London, wanted such a progressive building in his palace's garden, which would combine his love for plants with multifunctional spaces that could also be used as a banquet, theatre and dining halls. He called on the
390:. The octagonal Palm Pavilion was furnished as a bedroom and connected to the palace by a subterranean corridor where Leopold received his mistresses. After the king's death in 1909, the greenhouses were preserved, but the
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who served as an apprentice of Balat. The total floor surface of this immense complex is 2.5 ha (6.2 acres). Approximately 800,000 litres (210,000 US gallons) of fuel oil are needed each year to heat the buildings.
554:. Its enormous dimensions made it possible to plant Congolese palm trees in the rotunda. This Winter Garden, the main building of the complex, was also of great importance for the development of
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Between 1885 and 1887, Balat designed the Palm
Greenhouse, the Congo Greenhouse, the Diana Greenhouse, and the Embarcadère Greenhouse. The latter consists of two parallel compartments under a
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via 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of underground pipes allowing the residual heat released by the incinerator to be exported to the Royal Domain and thus heat the greenhouses and buildings.
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The largest greenhouse, the round-domed Winter Garden (1874) with a diameter of 57 metres (187 ft) and a height of 25 metres (82 ft), is made up of a number of concentric
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from 1817–1819 by the architects
Guislain-Joseph Henry and François Verly is connected to the Palace via the Theatre Greenhouse. The Dining Room Greenhouse is attached to it.
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Famous is the Royal
Botanic Collection, with old plants from Africa and various species of flowers which are cultivated inside the royal greenhouses for use at
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in the royal collection, with more than 1000 plants. Today, only 305 remain. The camellias are the world's largest and oldest collection in a greenhouse. The
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347:. The realisation came about in close consultation between Balat and the king, following frequent discussions, correspondence and preliminary designs.
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collection of
Leopold II was renowned with 130 trees aged 200 to 300 years, and one even 400 years old. In the 1970s, only 45 trees were still alive.
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colonnade. The start and end points of the trusses rest on the ground so that the greenhouse presents the image of a glass dome supported by
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1271:"Le banquet d'État en l'honneur des souverains néerlandais se prolonge sous la coupole du Jardin d'hiver des Serres royales de Laeken"
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Since 2021, a new heating system for the Royal Domain of Laeken has come into operation: the new network is directly connected to the
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373:. The inauguration took place in 1880, but the complex was also expanded afterwards. During that period, the king was preparing his
377:, a private colony which was founded in 1885. The greenhouses were intended as a symbol of the king's colonial power: plants from
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Other times, the greenhouses are visited by heads of state during official visits. Famous visitors have included:
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1058:"Lancement du nouveau système de chauffage durable pour le Domaine royal de Laeken ! | Régie des Bâtiments"
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and cold greenhouses, and is home to the famous Royal
Botanic Collection, which includes large collections of
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The first construction phase took place between 1874 and 1893, ending with the completion of the so-called
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1152:"En cinq venues, Elizabeth II a rencontré quatre rois différents : revivez ses visites en Belgique"
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ensemble surrounded by wreath chapels, the dome of which is supported by twenty columns of
Scottish
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since the death of Leopold II, the collection is still famous. In 1909, there were 314 species of
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The Congo Greenhouse (left) and the Winter Garden (right), part of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
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The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken on BALaT - Belgian Art Links and Tools (KIK-IRPA, Brussels)
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1083:"Le Domaine royal de Laeken se dote d'un nouveau système de chauffage durable (Belgique)"
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for this project, but his design was too unambitious. He then commissioned his architect
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274:. They are now part of the Royal Domain and the royal private gardens belonging to the
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656:. This greenhouse is therefore also officially called the Chapel Greenhouse.
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De bouw van de Wintertuin te Laken, 1874-1876, een initiatief van Leopold II
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columns. It is decorated with Chinese vases and two statues by the sculptor
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331:. Balat's plans surpassed all that had been achieved at the time, even the
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1179:"Quand la reine Élizabeth II passait à Bruxelles, Liège ou Wavre (vidéos)"
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who reigned after him. The greenhouses are also sometimes used today for
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1244:"La reine Mathilde a reçu Melania Trump et Brigitte Macron à Bruxelles"
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Winter Garden of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken in 1880, etching from
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De tuinman & de koning: Het domein van Laken & zijn bewoners
1114:"Serres Royales de Laeken – Inventaire du patrimoine architectural"
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for the International Day of Missing Children (in cooperation with
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drastically changed their appearance. The king, having visited the
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and many plants originating from the African parts of the former
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Vandewoude, Emiel; Vandenbreeden, Jos; Van Gorp, Paul (1981).
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Heated greenhouses in the park of the Royal Palace of Laeken
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brought back from expeditions to the Congo for Leopold II.
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Borghouts, Karin; Smets, Irene; D'Hoore, Baudouin (2019).
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1218:"Laura Bush va visiter Louvain et les serres de Laeken"
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View of the Orangery in the direction of the theatre
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394:was converted into a private royal bathing house.
740:. Though the current collection has lost many
791:were engaged in the new Winter Garden (1880).
8:
1357:Hamerlijnck, Erlend; Van Gorp, Paul (2011).
29:
1455:(in Dutch). Brussels: Album Carlos Wyffels.
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669:Embarcadère Greenhouse and Congo Greenhouse
465:architecture that was further developed by
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1524:Buildings and structures completed in 1895
235:), Belgium. The historic complex contains
223:) are a vast complex of monumental heated
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1342:(in French). Brussels: Racine & SFI.
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823:, First Lady of the United States (2017)
1446:(in French). Brussels: Donation Royale.
1323:(in French). Brussels: Duculot, Inbel.
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262:, originally designed by the architect
1376:Lombaerde, Piet; Gobyn, Ronny (1995).
1361:(in Dutch). Amsterdam: WPG Uitgevers.
945:Belgium in the long nineteenth century
697:Interior of the Embarcadère Greenhouse
369:, which would originally serve as the
1177:Diskeuve, Xavier (27 December 2023).
930:List of parks and gardens in Brussels
258:The greenhouses were commissioned by
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1504:Buildings and structures in Brussels
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799:Prince Philip of the United Kingdom
599:Under the dome of the Winter Garden
585:Closeup of the Winter Garden's roof
307:date back to the 18th century, but
1269:Fontaine, Nicolas (21 June 2023).
417:, exhibit in the Royal Greenhouses
96:, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
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866:Gallery of geraniums and fuchsias
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162:(donation of the Royal Heritage)
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974:Hamerlijnck & Van Gorp 2011
852:The long glass gallery in bloom
831:Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
815:First Lady of the United States
436:The Dancing Solar Forget-Me-Not
430:exhibits and displays, such as
407:The Dancing Solar Forget-Me-Not
138:
1399:(in Dutch). Antwerp: Horizon.
880:Staircase to the Palm Pavilion
785:Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
1:
1418:(in French). Brussels: Hayez.
1380:(in French). Ghent: Pandora.
1216:D.-D, P. (27 December 2023).
994:"Royal Greenhouses in Laeken"
789:Princess Stéphanie of Belgium
770:Princess Stéphanie of Belgium
613:Interior of the Winter Garden
1427:(in French). Ghent: Ludion.
1425:Les Serres royales de Laeken
1397:Leopold II. Het hele verhaal
1340:Les Serres royales de Laeken
1321:Les Serres royales de Laeken
1302:Les Serres royales de Laeken
303:The original gardens of the
221:Koninklijke Serres van Laken
45:Koninklijke Serres van Laken
1444:Les Serres royales Ă Laeken
1395:Op de Beeck, Johan (2020).
1304:(in French). Kontich: BAI.
205:Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
24:Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
1540:
1451:Vandewoude, Emiel (1987).
1338:Goedleven, Edgard (1997).
1319:Goedleven, Edgard (1988).
1118:monument.heritage.brussels
772:in the Winter Garden, 1880
299:Inception and construction
280:Stuyvenbergh metro station
644:). Finally, in 1893, the
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1473:Laeken Royal Greenhouses
1378:Léopold II Roi-Bâtisseur
1250:(in French). 26 May 2017
1062:www.regiedesbatiments.be
732:Royal Botanic Collection
528:Interior of the Orangery
356:L'Illustration nationale
213:Serres Royales de Laeken
31:Serres Royales de Laeken
1414:Ranieri, Liane (1973).
634:Charles Van der Stappen
343:'s botanical garden in
143:2.5 ha (6.2 acres)
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556:cast-iron architecture
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305:Royal Palace of Laeken
231:(northern part of the
229:Royal Palace of Laeken
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1519:Leopold II of Belgium
1423:Smets, Irène (2001).
827:King Willem-Alexander
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167:Public transit access
1475:at Wikimedia Commons
1416:LĂ©opold II urbaniste
998:The Belgian Monarchy
276:Belgian royal family
124:50.88833°N 4.36028°E
1509:Gardens in Brussels
940:History of Brussels
447:Neder-Over-Heembeek
227:in the park of the
120: /
1206:, p. 266–267.
1047:, p. 409–410.
1035:, p. 119–125.
795:Queen Elizabeth II
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1471:Media related to
1434:978-90-5544-338-3
1406:978-9-46396-209-4
1387:978-90-5349-173-7
1368:978-90-02-24006-5
1349:978-2-87386-101-8
1330:978-2-8011-0799-7
1311:978-90-8586-796-8
1275:Histoires Royales
805:Pope John Paul II
766:Rudolf of Austria
620:Other greenhouses
552:flying buttresses
345:Berlin-Schöneberg
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129:50.88833; 4.36028
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1479:Official website
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1514:Greenhouses
1281:27 November
1277:(in French)
1254:27 November
1228:27 December
1224:(in French)
1189:27 December
1185:(in French)
1183:lavenir.net
1162:27 December
1158:(in French)
1124:17 November
1120:(in French)
1093:16 November
1089:(in French)
1067:16 November
1003:31 December
935:Royal Trust
750:orange tree
646:Iron Church
642:The Evening
463:Art Nouveau
456:Description
450:incinerator
442:) in 2010.
440:Child Focus
411:Child Focus
398:Present-day
392:Iron Church
363:Iron Church
341:Carl Bouché
337:Kew Gardens
325:Jean Linden
241:subtropical
225:greenhouses
127: /
102:Coordinates
80:Greenhouses
1493:Categories
951:References
896:Leopold II
811:Laura Bush
630:Corinthian
367:greenhouse
365:, a domed
333:Palm house
112:50°53′18″N
956:Citations
746:camellias
742:cultivars
541:cast iron
245:camellias
115:4°21′37″E
908:See also
894:Bust of
638:The Dawn
499:Orangery
483:Orangery
474:Orangery
424:monarchs
322:botanist
237:tropical
86:Location
838:Gallery
654:granite
544:trusses
315:at the
294:History
286:of the
188:Website
148:Created
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284:line 6
209:French
179:(line
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1222:DHnet
756:Visit
738:court
548:Doric
409:(for
217:Dutch
172:Metro
52:Dutch
1429:ISBN
1401:ISBN
1382:ISBN
1363:ISBN
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1283:2023
1256:2023
1230:2023
1191:2023
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