The 19th century in Brussels: 1882

In 1882 France takes control of the right bank of the river Congo and establishes the city of Brazzaville, much to the dismay of the other colonial powers (King Leopold of Belgium, Great Britain and Portugal).

Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, the founder of Belgium’s Young Christian Workers, was born in Schaarbeek on 13 November 1882.

Also in that year (May 6, 1882) the North Sea Fishers Convention, (or the “International Convention for regulating the police of the North Sea fisheries outside territorial waters” is signed. It was signed by Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

In 1882 Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy concluded the Triple Alliance, as a counterweight to the Triple Entente, which united Britain, France and Russia.

Finally I would like to let the reader dig a little bit into the subject of the house of Goblet d’Alviella built in 1882. Some of the pictures I have posted are of the façade of this remarkable house. The links I am including in my post will allow the reader to the family vault that was commissioned by Eugène Goblet d’Alviella, who also commissioned this house. The vault is located in Court-Saint-Etienne, a small town in Walloon Brabant and is remarkable because it is full of symbols. Eugène Goblet d’Alviella was a freemason and, as mentioned in the French version of the Wikipedia article over the vault, this construction reflects the “philosophical option and the universalist religious creed” professed by Mr Goblet. An interesting detail of the vault monument is that it includes, among many symbols, a swastika cross.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Goblet_d%27Alviella

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausol%C3%A9e_Goblet_d%27Alviella

http://www.patrimoine-stephanois.be/patrimoines/pmonumental/le_mausolee_goblet_ensemble.htm

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausol%C3%A9e_Goblet_d%27Alviella

http://belgiqueinsolite.canalblog.com/archives/2006/07/05/2239669.html

A detail of the façade of the house of E. Goblet d’Alviella

A sgraffito by Julien Dillens at the house of E. Goblet d’Alviella

Godess Minerva at the façade of the house of E. Goblet d’Alviella

Year 1882 depicted in Goblet d’Alviella’s house

Façade of the house of E. Goblet d’Alviella

House by architects L. and A. De Rycker in Rue du Congres

Façade of the house by L. & A. in Rue du Congres

Another house built in 1882 by architects De Rycker

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The 19th century in Brussels: 1892

The year 1892 witnessed interesting developments in international politics. As an example Germany, and Great Britain signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Agreement exchanging control over a number of territories.

In 1892 King Leopold II of Belgium issues two decrees partitioning the Independant State of Congo in several economic zones. Also in that year two companies are established: the “Société Anversoise” and the Abir Congo Company (Anglo-Belgian India Rubber Company), later known as the Compagnie du Congo Belge.

The pictures inserted inserted in this post include a memorial of Brussels painter Armand Massonet, a house built by the brothers De Rycker (see also my post on 1897), a street sign with the name of a Belgian soldier who fought in Congo against the “esclavagistes“.

Street with the name of a Belgian soldier who died in Congo in 1892

A primary school built in the year 1892

House built in 1892, located near the house where Audrey Hepburn was born

Memorial of Brussel’s painter Armand Massonet.

House built by architects L. and A. De Rycker

House built in 1892

Detail of the façade showing the year 1892

The 19th century in Brussels: 1897

The year 1897 was a special one for Belgium. In that year the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (BelgAE) left for the Antarctic.

It that year restoration work was completed in the Grand’ Place, which was devastated by a French bombardment of Brussels in 1695.

A house with a Dutch gable displaying the year 1897

Another Dutch gable with the year 1897

A very nice Dutch gable with displaying the year 1897

Poster in the Brussels underground commemorating the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897

A plaque nearby the Grand’ Place commemorating its reconstruction after being destroyed by a French bombing of 1695

House by architects L. & A. De Rycker

A house with the year 1897 on the façade