The four important town houses in Brussels, Belgium, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. These homes were created by Belgian architect Victor Horta (1861–1947), who helped develop the Art Nouveau style in the mid-1890s.

History

Victor Horta was born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1861. He lived in Paris for several years before returning to Belgium in 1880 to work as an architect. He became very successful quickly, designing important buildings and holding important jobs, including a position at the Free University of Brussels. In 1892, Horta began using the new Art Nouveau style. In 1893, he designed the Hôtel Tassel, which is considered one of the first examples of Art Nouveau architecture, along with the Hankar House by Paul Hankar, built at the same time. He used the same style for many other buildings, including the Hôtel Solvay (built 1895–1900), the Hôtel van Eetvelde (1895–1901), and his own house and workshop (1898–1901). Architects such as Antoni Gaudí and Hector Guimard were inspired by Horta’s work during this time.

During World War I, Horta left Belgium and lived in the United Kingdom and the United States. After returning to Belgium, he changed his style in later buildings, moving away from Art Nouveau toward Art Deco or Modernist styles to match changing popular tastes. He died on September 8, 1947, and was buried in Ixelles Cemetery in Brussels.

List

Four homes are listed by UNESCO.

Other important examples of Horta's Art Nouveau architecture in Belgium that are not part of the UNESCO listing include the Hôtel Max Hallet (1903–1906) and the Magasins Waucquez (1905–1906), which now serves as the Belgian Comic Strip Center.

Recognition

The UNESCO commission acknowledged them in 2000:
The four houses were chosen because of their architectural importance and how well they are preserved.