Brussels 4

I began the day at the medieval Abbaye de la Cambre. Its attractive main courtyard serves as the entrance to the rather charming Église Notre-Dame de l'Abbaye. Inside, the church is quite simple with its rough stone walls and barrel vaulted nave. On one of its walls hangs the revered early 16th century painting "The Mocking of Christ" by Albert Bouts, depicting a mournful, blood-spattered Jesus. Adjacent to the altar was a small cloister with an inner terraced garden and an old abbatial pond, which was pleasant to stroll around. I next visited the delightful Musée Victor Horta, which consisted of two houses designed and lived in by the famous Art Nouveau architect at the end of the nineteenth century. The exterior set the tone with its knotted and twisted irowork. Photos were not allowed inside but his home displayed all of Horta's favourite flourishes such as wrought iron, stained glass and ornate panelling. The main feature was the spiralling marble staircase running through the centre of the house and illuminated by a large skylight. Next stop on my tour is Ghent.





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