Hôtel Solvay

Brussels, Belgium

The Hôtel Solvay is a large Art Nouveau town house designed by Victor Horta on the Avenue Louise in Brussels. The house was commissioned by Armand Solvay, the son of the wealthy Belgian chemist and industrialist Ernest Solvay. For this wealthy patron Horta could spend a fortune on precious materials and expensive details. Horta designed every single detail; furniture, carpets, light fittings, tableware and even the door bell. He used expensive materials such as marble, onyx, bronze, tropic woods etc. For the decoration of the staircase Horta cooperated with the Belgian pointillist painter Théo van Rysselberghe. The Hôtel Solvay and most of its splendid content remained intact thanks to the Wittamer family. They acquired the house in the 1950s and did the utmost to preserve and restore this magnificent dwelling. The house is still private property and can only be visited by appointment and under very strict conditions. The edifice is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The UNESCO commission recognized the Hôtel Solvay as UNESCO World Heritage in 2000 as one of the Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta.

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Details

Founded: 1898
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Belgium

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Sophie (6 months ago)
Hôtel Solvay is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture and well worth a visit. However, the organization and management of the museum at times come across as amateurish. There is no audio guide, only a limited leaflet that contains spelling errors and lacks any engaging anecdotes about the building's rich history or details about the numerous artefacts on display. There are no toilets available for visitors, which can pose a significant problem, especially for those with medical needs. The allocated visit time of 30 minutes, plus an additional 10 minutes for photos, is sufficient to explore the relatively small museum. However, I would suggest reconsidering the photo policy, it causes an unpleasant rush in the final ten minutes. The staff’s attitude can be described as pedantic. Rather than feeling like a welcomed guest, it felt as though these employees were doing us a favor by allowing us to visit their building. The constant, uncomfortable staring felt more like they were supervising unruly children (even though during the visit all of the visitors were quiet and serious people) and came across as unprofessional. I believe that a perfectionist like Victor Horta would agree that the quality of the visit should match the beauty of this remarkable place and live up to the illustrious reputation of the Wittamer family, who have evidently restored this architectural gem with great care and dedication. In short: Hôtel Solvay has many beautiful rooms, but also clearly still some room for improvement ;)
Nicky Gist (6 months ago)
Finally made it having booked to visit Hotel Solvay with the Nouveau Art Pass (not a straightforward procedure) and required a second visit to Brussels - thank you Eurostar deal. Lovely staff understandably anxious about preserving the splendour of the place but a bit chaotic in explaining initial rules and I did not understand why we could only take photos in the last 10 minutes. Please be aware a tour which is more expensive allows visitors to see more of the property and under the Art Pass it is a guideless visit. Otherwise it was fantastic and thank you staff.
Valeria Zecchini (8 months ago)
The house is cool but the caretakers are just awful. They make you feel like a criminal and are SO nervous about everything. I understand this is a precious historical house but it is not wholly made of glass…
Alexandre Hauben (13 months ago)
TRUE GEM. MUST VISIT. Exceptional architectural masterpiece by Horta! Maison Horta in Brussels is a harmonious blend of elegance and innovation. The intricate Art Nouveau details and thoughtfully designed spaces make for a unique and memorable visit. Impeccable service and a true gem for those seeking a cultural and historical experience in the heart of Brussels. #BrusselsExperience #ExploreBrussels #VisitBelgium #BrusselsAdventures #DiscoverBrussels #CityBreak #CulturalCapital #TravelBelgium #BrusselsSights #HistoricCity #EuroTrip #TravelInspiration #BelgiumTourism #BrusselsLandmarks #ArtNouveau #UrbanExploration #BrusselsVibes #TravelTips #LocalFlavors
Vahagn Israyelyan (15 months ago)
Absolute masterpiece and a must-visit place if you're in Brussels. A lot of visitors and taking photos is allowed only 10 minutes before the tour ends( it's 40 minutes overall ). Make sure to reserve a visit on the website.
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