The story
Take a moment to listen to the rhythm around you. It is the sound of a city in constant motion, a steady hum of tires on asphalt and the occasional chime of a tram passing by. You are walking along one of the great arteries of Brussels, a place where the suburban neighborhoods of the east meet the high-energy pulse of the capital. This wide stretch of road, known as Boulevard Auguste Reyers, is a vital piece of the city’s Middle Ring, acting as a gateway for thousands of people every single day.
But who was the man behind the name? Auguste Reyers was not a king or a legendary explorer. He was a civil engineer who rose to become the Mayor of Schaerbeek. He held that office for fourteen years, from 1907 until 1921. If you could see this area as it looked when he first took his seat at the town hall, you would hardly recognize it. Reyers presided over a period of massive transformation. He was a builder at heart, and under his watch, Schaerbeek shifted from a collection of semi-rural outskirts into a modern, integrated part of a growing metropolis.
He was also a man of steady nerves. Reyers remained the mayor throughout the First World War, navigating the difficult years of German occupation. It was this long, dedicated service to the community that led the city to name this boulevard after him. While the specific year the name was officially inaugurated remains a quiet detail lost to the archives, the street stands today as a permanent tribute to the man who quite literally helped pave the way for the Schaerbeek we know.
Today, the boulevard is perhaps best known as the media heart of Belgium. If you look toward the horizon, you will see the unmistakable silhouette of the Reyers Tower. This concrete needle, rising high above the rooftops, marks the headquarters of the national broadcasters, RTBF and VRT. From this single street, news, music, and stories are beamed out to every corner of the country. It is a place where information and commuters flow in equal measure, connecting the E40 motorway to the elegant squares of the European Quarter.
As you continue your walk, take a look at the architecture surrounding you. You will see a mix of mid-century apartment blocks and the sleek glass of modern office buildings, all tied together by the greenery that lines the path. Before you reach the next intersection, try to find one of the blue and white street signs bolted to a wall or a post. Run your eyes over the letters of his name and think of the mayor who stood here a century ago, imagining a city of wide roads and tall buildings that had not yet been built.