Please find driving directions below the main text
Bank account of “National Trust Belgium” (NTAB)
BE17 0016 2443 2021
On Friday, 8th May, in the morning we will be visiting the Chinese and Silk Road House close to the Royal Domaine of Laeken (Dutch: Laken). This visit will take appr. one hour and a half.
Thereafter, we will have a 20-minutes’ walk to the entrance of the Royal Greenhouses, where a light lunch will be served in the tea shop before we embark on a tour, outdoors and indoors, of the vast well-known complex of monumental heated conservatories in the park of the Royal Palace of La(e)ken.
Before leaving the Royal Domaine, we will have the opportunity to return to the tea shop for coffee, tea and pastries, while reflecting on what promises to be a wonderful day.
The Chinese and Silk Road House is situated amidst the green surroundings of the royal estate at Laeken, together with the Japanese Tower nearby. Both monuments form a remarkable exotic ensemble built at the beginning of the 20th century at the initiative of King Leopold II.
As to the Chinese and Silk Road House, the King had seen a similar pavilion at the ‘Tour du Monde’ Exhibition in Paris in 1900. Construction work started in 1903. The pavilion was originally designed as a luxury restaurant, but was never used as such. It soon became a location for a permanent collection of import products from the Far East.
Today, the Pavilion houses a remarkable collection of Chinese porcelain silverware, furniture and European paintings dating from the 17th to the 19th century. It is presently closed for a long overdue renovation, but the curator, baroness Hennebert, and the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Piet Steel, will show us around.
It is a truly remarkable and unique building, which will be restored to its previous splendour after the restoration works currently under way.
At 1.00 P.M., we are expected at the entrance of the Royal Domaine of Laeken. We’ll first be escorted to the tea shop, where a light lunch (sandwiches and pastries, coffee or tea, non-alcoholic drinks) will be waiting for us.
At about 2.15 P.M., we start the tour of the grounds and the conservatories. There are no guides, but you will be provided with a map. No need to stay together as a group. The tour takes two-three hours, depending on the pace and path the visitor chooses.
We will admire the monumental pavilions, the glass copulas and long arcades that cut through the grounds of the Royal Domain like covered streets, as well as the lush vegetation inside these remarkable structures. These impressive structures contain tropical, subtropical and cold greenhouses and are the home to the Royal Botanic Collection, which includes large collections of camellias, orange trees and plants originating from mainly Central Africa.
They were commissioned by King Leopold II, designed mainly by the architect Alphonse Balat, inspired by the new architecture of the day and built between 1874 and 1905. They are part of the royal domain of Laeken and of the private gardens of the Belgian royal family, and are accessible to the public each year for three weeks in the spring.
10:30 : Arrival of participants at the Chinese and Silk Road House, Avenue Van Praet/Van Praetlaan 44 in 1020 Laeken/Laken, where we will be welcomed by baroness Diane Hennebert, the curator, and former ambassador Piet Steel, Chairman of the Board of the nonprofit restoring and operating the House and its surroundings.
11:00 : Visit of the site, the Coach House and the House itself. The curator and the Chairman kindly accepted to be our guides (both in English). End of the visit at appr. 12.30 A.M.
12.30: We walk (approx. 20 min.) to the entrance of the Royal Greenhouses, Avenue du Parc Royal/Koninklijk Parklaan, 61 – 1020 La(e)ken. Entrance tickets have been pre-ordered and pre-paid.
13:15: Upon arrival, we will be escorted to the tea shop where a light lunch (sandwiches and pastries, coffee and tea, non-alcoholic drinks) will be served. Also pre-paid. Maps of the (in and outdoor) walking paths will be distributed to participants.
14.15 : Start of the visit of the grounds and greenhouses. The walk takes 2-3 hours, depending on the paths and the pace the visitor choses. No guides.
From 16.30 onwards: Free stop at the tea shop, where we can have coffee or tea (and pastries) while we reflect on the day.
– Parking spaces are scarce in the immediate neighbourhood of the Chinese and Silk Road House (max. 10 cars).
– Public transport: MIVB/STIB trams 7, 19 and 35 stop De Wand (20 min. walk) – metro station Stuyvenbergh (25 min. walk)
– Appropriate clothing and shoes are recommended, as well as an umbrella, particularly in case of poor weather.
– At the end of the Greenhouses tour, there is a small shop, where you can find books, guides, postcards and gadgets about the Greenhouses
– We can only take 35 participants. Applications will be registered in the order of the moment of payment!
NTAB is an officially affiliated Supporter Group of the National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland.
The fee for this outing includes a portion allocated to our annual donation to the National Trust.
The National Trust is internationally recognized as a leading organization in heritage conservation, setting the global standard in preserving historic places, beautiful landscapes and cultural treasures for generations to come.