Botanical Garden of Brussels, Brussels: what to see and when to go

The Botanical Garden of Brussels is a public park in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, Belgium. Founded in 1826 as a botanical garden, it now features landscaped terraces, remarkable trees, and sculptures, with its main orangery building serving as a cultural complex and music venue.

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Founded in 1826 as a botanical garden
Main building now houses Le Botanique, a music and cultural venue
Features French, Italian, and English garden styles
Home to over fifty sculptures by Belgian artists
Open to the public year-round

What is Botanical Garden of Brussels?

The Botanical Garden of Brussels is a city park with a blend of formal and informal gardens. Visitors find a French-style garden with flowering shrubs, a star-shaped rose garden with many iris species, and an English landscape section with winding paths, lakes, and lawns. The main building, a neoclassical orangery with a dome and terraces, now houses concert halls and showrooms. The grounds are dotted with over fifty sculptures and a collection of large, notable trees.

The history of Botanical Garden of Brussels

The garden's roots go back to 1826, when botanists and horticulturists established it on a wooded lot north of Brussels. It was designed by architect Tilman-François Suys and landscape gardener Charles-Henri Petersen. Originally, it was a scientific and public garden, home to native and exotic plants. The garden was expanded and beautified through the 19th century, becoming a popular spot for recreation and public events. In 1938, its botanical collections moved to Meise, and the site became a city park.

What there is to see

The park is laid out in three main terraces. The upper terrace is a formal French garden with shrubs and flowerbeds near the orangery and greenhouses. The middle terrace, inspired by Italian gardens, features a rose garden and iris beds. The lower terrace is in the English landscape style, with curving paths, lakes, and lawns. The main building retains its historic structure, with greenhouses attached to its wings.

When to go

Today, the garden is open year-round as a public park. Locals and visitors come to walk, relax, and enjoy the gardens and sculptures. The main orangery, now called Le Botanique, serves as a cultural centre and music venue for the French Community of Belgium, hosting concerts and exhibitions. The park's trees and gardens provide green space in the city.

Parts and collections

The garden's layout combines French, Italian, and English landscaping styles. Its plantings have changed over time, especially after the relocation of its scientific collections. The rose garden and iris beds are notable features. The sculptures, created by dozens of artists in the late 19th century, add artistic variety throughout the grounds.

Why Botanical Garden of Brussels matters

The Botanical Garden of Brussels is a protected site, valued for its history and its role in the city's cultural life. Its sculptures represent plants, animals, and seasons, and its gardens have inspired visitors for nearly two centuries. The orangery's transformation into Le Botanique has made it a centre for music and the arts in Brussels.

Questions people ask about Botanical Garden of Brussels

Where is the Botanical Garden of Brussels located?

It is in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, near the city centre of Brussels, Belgium, close to the Northern Quarter and easily reached by metro or train.

What can visitors see at the Botanical Garden of Brussels?

Visitors find landscaped gardens in French, Italian, and English styles, a historic orangery building, many sculptures, and a collection of large trees. The main building now hosts concerts and exhibitions.

Is the Botanical Garden of Brussels still a botanical garden?

No, its scientific plant collections were moved to Meise in 1938. It is now a public park and cultural centre, though some remarkable trees and garden features remain.

When is the Botanical Garden of Brussels open?

The park is open all year. The cultural centre inside the main building, Le Botanique, has its own schedule for concerts and events.

What is Le Botanique?

Le Botanique is the name of the main orangery building, which now serves as a cultural complex and music venue for the French Community of Belgium.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Botanical Garden of Brussels", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Sim's Park, Coonoor: Thangaraj Kumaravel, CC BY 2.0, source

Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute: No machine-readable author provided. Shyamal assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY 2.5, source

Baldha Garden: Muntasir du, Public domain, source

Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source

Chrysanthemum: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, GFDL 1.2, source

Linden: Bruce Marlin, CC BY 3.0, source

Meise Botanic Garden: Rudi Devuyst, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Arboretum Kalmthout: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Botanical Garden of Brussels