Urban snaps: A little bit of Asia in Brussels

Asia in the heart of Brussels? Anne, dreamer, wanderer and story-teller behind @myscellaneous instagram account shared a photo of Japanese tower in Laeken and wrote nice explanation and invitation to locals & tourists to discover this (for many people unknown) corner of the European capital. Here is the story Anne shared:

This isn’t Japan. This is Brussels. 🙂  If you live in Europe and you’re interested in the Asian culture but cannot find the time or money to travel across the world, Brussels is your second best option!  Indeed, Brussels is home to a “mini Asia”, with a number of constructions which make up an essence of art from two eastern countries, Japan and China.

The Japanese tower, the Chinese Pavilion and the Far East Museums, with their enormous and gorgeous gardens, are located on the outskirts of Brussels, in the Laeken District. They were built at the beginning of the 20th century, on the orders of King Leopold II. Work on the Japanese Tower was entrusted to the Parisian architect, Alexandre Marcel, known for his oriental-style buildings. It was him who purchased the entry pavilion to the Japanese Pagoda, built by a Japanese carpenter, at the Paris Universal Exhibition, and had it decorated by specialists from Yokohama.

Interested to discover this little Asian spot in the heart of European capital? The best way to travel to Asia is by… tram. 🙂 Get off at the stop “Araucaria” or “De Wand” on lines 3 or 7.