The story
As you stand here, perhaps near the tall, stone spire of the Church of Saint Servais, take a moment to look down the long, elegant slope. The street dips and then rises again, like a slow wave of brick and stone, leading your eyes toward the deep green canopy of Josaphat Park in the distance. This is Avenue Louis Bertrand, and it is often called one of the most beautiful stretches in all of Brussels. But the man it is named after did not start his life in a house as grand as these.
Louis Bertrand was born in 1856 into a world that looked very different from this polished neighborhood. Before he was a statesman, he was a printer’s apprentice and a marble cutter. He was a man who worked with his hands, and that experience shaped everything he did later in life. He became a titan of the Belgian soul, a co-founder of the Belgian Labour Party in 1885, and a fierce advocate for the rights of the working class. While many politicians of his time were focused on distant empires, Bertrand was focused on the ground beneath his feet.
He served as an alderman here in Schaerbeek for decades. He believed that every person, no matter their income, deserved to live with dignity and beauty. It was under his influence that this part of the city was transformed from muddy fields into the architectural showcase you see now. The street was named in his honor while he was still an active and influential figure in the early twentieth century—a rare tribute that speaks to how much the people of Schaerbeek respected his vision for their commune.
As you walk, look closely at the houses lining the sidewalks. This street is an open-air museum of the Belle Époque. You are walking past masterpieces of Art Nouveau and Eclectic architecture, designed by famous names like Strauven and Jacobs. Notice the way the wrought iron on the balconies curls like vine tendrils, and how the colorful ceramic tiles tucked under the eaves catch the light. These homes were built for the rising middle class of a century ago, part of a grand urban plan that Bertrand helped oversee to ensure Schaerbeek became a jewel of the capital.
Louis Bertrand lived to be eighty-seven years old, passing away in 1943, having seen his printer’s apprenticeship lead to a seat in Parliament and a legacy written into the very map of Brussels. Before you continue your walk, try this one small thing. Stop in front of one of the Art Nouveau facades—look for one with flowing, organic lines in the stone. Run your eyes over the craftsmanship and remember that the man this street is named for started his career cutting stone just like that, dreaming of a city that was as fair as it was beautiful.