Dieweg Cemetery

Few people suspect that hidden between a railway line and quiet residential streets in Uccle lies one of Brussels' most intriguing heritage sites. Laid out in the second half of the 19th century, the Dieweg cemetery reflects the way in which the bourgeoisie dealt with death, remembrance, and status at the time. Since its closure in 1958, the site has slowly been reclaimed by nature, giving it an almost romantic and melancholic atmosphere. The cemetery is therefore at once a heritage site, a landscape, and an open-air museum, where decay and beauty go hand in hand.

The cemetery of generals and artists

Dieweg is often referred to as the generals' cemetery, but it can just as easily be seen as a literary and artistic cemetery. Numerous high-ranking officers from the 19th century found their final resting place here, which explains the civil-military character of the cemetery. At the same time, prominent figures from cultural life are buried here, including Hergé, the spiritual father of Tintin, as well as writer Eugène Demolder and architect Paul Hankar, a pioneer of Brussels Art Nouveau.

What makes Dieweg so special in terms of architecture and landscaping is the wealth of funerary monuments within a park-like setting. Neoclassical tombs, neo-Gothic burial chapels, and Art Nouveau details alternate along winding paths and at different heights, making the cemetery read like a small town. The abundant vegetation of trees, ivy, and moss softens the monumental architecture and enhances the atmosphere of tranquility and decay. During the walk, the cemetery, which has been a protected heritage site since 1997, reveals itself as a rare fusion of architecture, landscape, and urban history.