This tour will explore the remarkable developments in school architecture that were witnessed in Brussels in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Brussels' educational infrastructure was developing apace around 1860, coinciding with the rapid expansion of the suburbs around the city centre and the extraordinary surge in the Belgian capital's population due to industrialisation.

The legal requirements for school construction evolved in line with advances in technology, hygiene and teaching methods. Under the impetus of Charles Buls and the Ligue de l'Enseignement (League of Education), founded by progressive liberals working for compulsory, free and liberal education in Belgium, a new type of school building began to emerge. Our itinerary will include the Model School funded by the League as an example of its approach to education, and we'll also discover the progressive ideas about schooling and education that were gaining ground in Brussels in the 19th century, spearheaded by Buls and others.

But the tour will not focus solely on historical buildings. In recent years, a lot of money has been invested in renovating existing schools and building new ones. This complex and densely populated city needs more schools, and creative solutions must constantly be found to ensure that children and young people can learn and develop in warm and pleasant surroundings.

During this walk around the city centre, you'll encounter a wonderful cross-section of Brussels school architecture.