The name Laeken (Dutch: Laken) derives from the Germanic Lacha or Lache ("water", "lake"),[1] because the Molenbeek brook at the time formed a network of ponds at this height.[2] The oldest mention of the village is in a diploma from 1080, where the name Gilbert de Lacha appears. There is also the mention Lachus in 1117.[3]
The Royal Domain also contains the large Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, a set of monumental dome-shaped constructions, accessible to the public only a few days a year. They were designed by Alphonse Balat, with the cooperation of the young Victor Horta.
Laeken Cemetery, located behind the church, is known as the Belgian Père Lachaise, after the famous cemetery in Paris, because it used to be the burial place of the rich and the famous. It harbours the graves of, among others, the symbolist painter Fernand Khnopff and the opera singer Maria Malibran, and also features an original cast of The Thinker (Le Penseur), by Auguste Rodin.
The impressive buildings of the former goods station of Tour & Taxis and the surrounding area border the neighbourhood, and will be turned into residences, as well as commercial enterprises.
^Maurits Gysseling, Toponymisch Woordenboek (in Dutch), 1960, p. 587
^. The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
^Mesmaeker, Delphine (2016). "The Japanese Tower at the Royal Domain in Laeken: A remarkable application of Japanese lacquer techniques in Belgium". Studies in Conservation. 61 (Supplement 3): 109–116. doi:10.1080/00393630.2016.1227053.
^Coljon, Thierry (December 24, 2010). [My day with Stromae, from Laeken to Vilvorde]. Le Soir (in French). Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
BibliographyEdit
Jespers, Jean-Jacques (2005). Dictionnaire des noms de lieux en Wallonie et à Bruxelles (in French). Brussels: Racine Lannoo. ISBN978-2-87386-409-5.
laeken, this, article, about, suburb, type, singer, angèle, french, lakɛn, laken, dutch, ˈlaːkə, residential, suburb, north, western, part, brussels, capital, region, belgium, belongs, municipality, city, brussels, mostly, identified, belgian, postal, code, 10. This article is about the suburb For the dog type see Laekenois dog For the singer see Angele Van Laeken Laeken French lakɛn or Laken Dutch ˈlaːke n is a residential suburb in the north western part of the Brussels Capital Region Belgium It belongs to the municipality of the City of Brussels and is mostly identified by the Belgian postal code 1020 Prior to 1921 it was a separate municipality Laeken French Laken Dutch The Atomium on the Heysel Heizel Plateau in LaekenFlagCoat of armsLocation within BrusselsLaekenLocation within BelgiumCoordinates 50 52 40 N 4 21 21 E 50 87778 N 4 35583 E 50 87778 4 35583Country BelgiumRegionBrussels Capital RegionArrondissementBrussels CapitalMunicipalityCity of BrusselsArea Total9 25 km2 3 57 sq mi Population 2015 Total60 295WebsiteOfficial website Contents 1 Toponymy 1 1 Etymology 2 Main sights 2 1 Royal Palace 2 2 Royal Greenhouses 2 3 Church of Our Lady 2 4 Laeken Cemetery 2 5 Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower 2 6 Other places of interest 3 Areas 4 Notable inhabitants 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksToponymy EditEtymology Edit The name Laeken Dutch Laken derives from the Germanic Lacha or Lache water lake 1 because the Molenbeek brook at the time formed a network of ponds at this height 2 The oldest mention of the village is in a diploma from 1080 where the name Gilbert de Lacha appears There is also the mention Lachus in 1117 3 Main sights EditRoyal Palace Edit Main article Palace of Laeken nbsp Royal Palace of LaekenThe Royal Palace of Laeken official home of the Belgian royal family is situated in Laeken The palace was built in 1782 1784 by the French architect and urbanist Charles de Wailly It was partly destroyed by fire in 1890 and was rebuilt and extended by the architect Alphonse Balat The French architect Charles Girault gave it its present outline in 1902 It has been the royal residence since the accession to the throne of King Leopold I in 1831 The former King Albert II and Queen Paola live in the Belvedere a chateau on the grounds of the park surrounding the palace while King Philippe and Queen Mathilde live in the main palace 4 Royal Greenhouses Edit Main article Royal Greenhouses of Laeken nbsp Royal Greenhouses of LaekenThe Royal Domain also contains the large Royal Greenhouses of Laeken a set of monumental dome shaped constructions accessible to the public only a few days a year They were designed by Alphonse Balat with the cooperation of the young Victor Horta Church of Our Lady Edit Main article Church of Our Lady of Laeken A little south of the Royal Palace one can find the neo Gothic Church of Our Lady initially built as a mausoleum for Queen Louise Marie wife of Leopold I whose children included King Leopold II and Empress Carlota of Mexico The architect was Joseph Poelaert designer of the famed Brussels Palace of Justice The church contains the Royal Crypt where the members of the Belgian royal family are buried citation needed In February each year a memorial mass for deceased members of the royal family is held at the church In the nave of the church the tomb of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn can also be found Laeken Cemetery Edit Main article Laeken Cemetery nbsp Laeken Cemetery with the Church of Our Lady in the backgroundLaeken Cemetery located behind the church is known as the Belgian Pere Lachaise after the famous cemetery in Paris because it used to be the burial place of the rich and the famous It harbours the graves of among others the symbolist painter Fernand Khnopff and the opera singer Maria Malibran and also features an original cast of The Thinker Le Penseur by Auguste Rodin Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower Edit Main article Museums of the Far East nbsp Chinese Pavilion of the Museums of the Far EastA little north of the Royal Palace stand the Chinese Pavilion and the Japanese Tower The Chinese Pavilion was commissioned by Leopold II and now forms part of the Museums of the Far East The rooms of the Chinese Pavilion are designed in chinoiserie Louis XIV and Louis XVI styles They are decorated with Chinese motifs chinaware and silverware The Japanese Tower is a pagoda known as a Tō inspired by a construction Leopold II saw at the Paris Exposition of 1900 Leopold II commissioned his architect Alexandre Marcel to build him a similar one in Laeken 5 Other places of interest Edit Other places of interest in Laeken include the King Baudouin Stadium the Bruparck entertainment park with the Atomium Mini Europe miniature park and Kinepolis cinema the Centenary Palace home to the Brussels Exhibition Centre Brussels Expo as well as the Port of Brussels next to which the Monument to Work by Constantin Meunier was erected The impressive buildings of the former goods station of Tour amp Taxis and the surrounding area border the neighbourhood and will be turned into residences as well as commercial enterprises Areas EditHeysel Heizel Royal Domain of Laeken and Laeken Park Mutsaard Old Laeken and Port of BrusselsNotable inhabitants EditJeanne Paule Marie Jeannine Deckers 1933 1985 singer songwriter and a nun better known as The Singing Nun Annie Cordy 1928 2020 actress and singer Etienne Francois Letourneur 1751 1817 French lawyer soldier and politician of the French Revolution died there Xavier Mellery 1845 1921 Symbolist painter draughtsman illustrator and decorative artist Paul Ooghe 1899 2001 World War I veteran Belgian royal family including King Philippe Queen Mathilde and their children Stromae Paul Van Haver b 1985 singer songwriter 6 Freddy Thielemans 1944 2022 politician and former mayor of the City of BrusselsReferences EditNotes Edit Martine Wille and Jean Marie Duvosquel dir Autour du parvis Notre Dame a Laeken in French Credit Communal 1994 p 5 Jespers 2005 p 387 Maurits Gysseling Toponymisch Woordenboek in Dutch 1960 p 587 The opulent homes of Europe s royal families The Telegraph Archived from the original on January 22 2013 Retrieved January 26 2013 Mesmaeker Delphine 2016 The Japanese Tower at the Royal Domain in Laeken A remarkable application of Japanese lacquer techniques in Belgium Studies in Conservation 61 Supplement 3 109 116 doi 10 1080 00393630 2016 1227053 Coljon Thierry December 24 2010 Ma journee avec Stromae de Laeken a Vilvorde My day with Stromae from Laeken to Vilvorde Le Soir in French Archived from the original on September 25 2015 Retrieved February 22 2020 Bibliography Edit Jespers Jean Jacques 2005 Dictionnaire des noms de lieux en Wallonie et a Bruxelles in French Brussels Racine Lannoo ISBN 978 2 87386 409 5 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laeken nbsp Belgium portalOfficial website in French Dutch and English Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laeken amp oldid 1172244082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
