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By Simon du Chastel: Tournay-Solvay Park is a steeped in history since its occupation, 7,000 years ago by the same tribe of prehistoric men than Spiennes, near Mons. Venus
Bonn, Germany, these men who were the first miners extracted at Spiennes best cut stones in northern Europe. These stones are easily found in Boitsfort, near their former stronghold, the location of the ponds' children drowned. These prehistoric men also occupied the hill nearby park Tournay-Solvay, due to the proximity of the two ponds in the property.
At other times, this site was the starting point of many hunts in Zoniënwoud. These were practiced by nobles, princes and emperors, such Maximilian of Austria and Charles the Fifth.
But first the history of this park which, in a poll commissioned by Minister Jean-Louis Thys in the eighties, was considered the most beautiful park in Brussels after Park Royal. Located southeast of Brussels, the Regional Park Tournay-Solvay expands its 7 acres between the Chaussée de La Hulpe, the drève of Two Mountains and the railway line Brussels-Namur. Its entrance is next to the station Boitsfort.
Part of the park belonged to a major owner, Théodore Verhaegen, the founder of the Free University of Brussels, anticlerical Freemason and if there ever was, as students celebrate the "Saint Verhaegen.
Subsequently, a portion of the land was sold to Alfred Solvay, who built the current two-stage castle, more precisely what is left.
Alfred Solvay and his famous brother Ernest produced in their factories in the ammonia soda in a revolutionary process. Their factories, located in the United States to Russia, show the prosperity of their business. These entrepreneurs and visionary humanists will not hesitate to devote part of their fortune to the welfare of their employees, but also architectural achievements of great fame, such as Hotel Solvay, by the famous Art Nouveau architect Horta.
In 1879, Alfred leaves the factory management of Couillet to devote himself exclusively to the general administration of the company. He then moved to Brussels on his property in Boitsfort. It is for architects and Henri Bosmans Constant Vandeveld he commands his mansion plans. They are collaborating on several occasions with the Solvay family, especially for Ernest.
They realize the new headquarters offices of the Company in Ixelles (1883) and study the changes and the interior of the mansion of Ernest Solvay Rue des Champs Elysees in Ixelles (1884). It's still the ones who take care of the building, in the Leopold Park, the beautiful library of the Institute of Sociology (1901), better known today as the Solvay library and the School of Trade (1903), currently housing the School Emile Jacqmain.
Castle. Vandevelde Bosmans and erect in 1878 the first part of the castle in a Flemish Renaissance style somewhat fanciful recalling the style of Van Zeeland home located a little further, near the Boulevard du Souverain. The architectural review the Emulation commenting on the projects and achievements in vogue at the time, devotes an article.
define place as a country house, he praises the personal touch of its neo-Renaissance Flemish, unity and the weighting of the materials in the composition of the facade, and the quality of comfort.
The building draws its inspiration from the eclectic and imaginative vocabulary Vredeman de Vries, a famous theorist and ornemantiste the sixteenth century. Alternating red brick and white stone, its facade consists of two connected by a loggia advanced upstairs and a gallery surmounted by two basket-handle arches on the ground floor. Scrolls, decorative columns, friezes of grotesque and sprockets complete the atmosphere.
The second part of the castle, a double tower designed by architect Jules Brunfaut, was completed in 1905. This architect, best known for building the hotel Hannon, of Junction Street in Brussels, thereby accentuating the picturesque castle, breaks the symmetry of the composition and increases the verticality of its silhouette. It also incorporates the loggia to the building by closing windows, while the double arch of the gallery will see simplified into one. If this architect Henri Beyaert student engages in the Art Nouveau Hotel Hannon, yet it remains a classic, as confirmed by the house he also realized in 1888 for Alfred Solvay, Avenue Louise.
plans of the castle, taken in the Emulation, can only view the building, which is present in a fairly standard distribution of parts: "The porch gives access to a hall, followed a vestibule and grand staircase that occupy the center of the building. On both sides of this area traffic, the two wings accommodate the dining room, lounge, smoking room and veranda. Upstairs, the office of Alfred Solvay opens onto the loggia, which occupies the center of the facade. The rooms are arranged around a large clearing. In the basement, are divided kitchens, laundry rooms and basements equipped to properly store wine, beer, fruit ...
The castle location is exceptional: the view plunges into a valley that is home to two ponds, with water from the pond of "Kids drown" and two springs in the park. These ponds
feed all ponds in the valley of the Woluwe, which set themselves up countless abbeys, castles, mills and farms, now replaced by offices, insurance - such as: Royal Belgian - AXA.
From the castle to drown in Zoniënwoud, no house is Boitsfort visible.
Alfred Solvay and could flee to these places very fortunate in Brussels, the smoke of its factories, and decorate his castle-palace of beautiful furniture and a large library. This, on the death of Theresa Tournay -Solvay, was given to the National Library, which saved the heritage of the fire at the castle in 1982. Fire caused by young squatters who lit fires timber, not in the chimneys, but on the floors! Remained in ruins, the castle is "colonized" by the vegetation and wildlife.
Meanwhile, major developments made in Brussels during the reign of Leopold II has caused many upheavals. A new road was created, the current Boulevard of the Sovereign. On this occasion, Mary Martinez, wife of Alfred Solvay (died prematurely in 1894), bought both to enlarge his possessions to preserve the site, the land between the street from the pond and the "New Avenue" .
In 1920, Therese Tournay, a daughter of Alfred Solvay who inherits the property, built by architect G. Collin concierge and outbuildings. Admission is rearranged and both sides of the property are connected by bridges over the streets of Flint.
After the death of Theresa Tournay, the site is threatened by a proposed housing and offices, which is rejected by the municipality of Watermael-Boitsfort.
Bought by the Brussels Region, the park has benefited from refurbishment work to be open to the public in 1981.
Park. The park has two sections, joined with pretty ironwork bridges nineteenth century neat that overcome a pedestrian street in ancient cobblestones rounded by time. This little street is called "Street of Flint," probably because Boitsfort is built on a sand filled with flint, and perhaps also in memory of the weapons and tools of our distant ancestors.
The first part of the park along the road from La Hulpe, is inhabited by rare trees and beech trees such as Sequoia, hazel of Byzantium, and many other species. It was designed in 1911 by Jules Buyssens: a leading landscape architects of the first half of the century plant inspector the city of Brussels and an author of garden Van Buren. It was inspired by the spirit of English gardens, creating winding paths, already filled in the past a water drainage system and recently coated small brick in shades of autumn leaves.
Central to this English part of the park is the famous rose garden of Solvay, built round trays traffic running down the central point: a column bearing a finely carved sundial. To get there, walk on four tombstones of the noble families. It is the favorite place for lovers, retirees ...
This rose garden was restored and even reconstructed by the Brussels Region and a member firm of the garden designer Rene Pechere: J.Boulanger Francis. Everything is neat: roses in various varieties, the wooden benches and pools of water, provided with stairs (for the frogs!)
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