Obscure Passages

LP162/CO057

The Delune house

Localization: Bruxelles - Belgium.

Destination: Unknown.

Discovered by:
Alexandra Peereboom.

Ferryman: No.

Status: Possible opening.

Means: Passage.

   Located at the corner of the Roosevelt avenue and the "avenue des Phal�nes" in Bruxelles, this strange house of art-Nouveau style would conceal according to its inventor many mysteries?

   The mystery starts at the beginning of XXth century at the time when Belgium plans to organize a World Fair, planned for 1910. Many real-estate speculators think that this one will be held on the plate of Solbosch. This last was at the time a place completely apart from the city, in the countryside. The architect Leon Delune sets up in 1904 the first house of the future avenue of the Nations for the account of Mrs Am�lie De Grave.

   During its construction, some architectural details do not fail to surprise such as for example a principal entry on the "avenue du Pesage", five other entrance doors at the ground floor, two stages of cellars, real labyrinth to the Passage with the dubious exit comprising a strange fitted latticework and locked well and an enclosing wall. The use of six entrance doors and two levels of cellar remains still a enigma today that the only real speculation does not completely allow to explain. As for the function of the enclosing wall, nothing allows to explain it if it is not to dissimulate some mysteries...

   Although equipped with buildings or useless doors, the Delune house however is built in a style typically Art nouveau, very snuffed by the middle-class of Bruxelles of the beginning of XXth century. The sgraffites which decorate the frontage are signed by Paul Cauchie, character also famous on the obscure continent, mainly in Mylos where an house bears its name there.

   The owner, Mrs De Grave, will died just before the opening of the expo, in 1907... The house will change of owner many times and will be in particular occupied by Kriegsmarine at the time of the second world war. Since the armistice, the house is not occupied any more. Repurchased by a significant financial group European, work of restoration was stopped for obscure reasons.