The Tour & Taxis site in full development
From freight station to 15-minute city
At the beginning of the 20th century, the vast Tour & Taxis site was a bustling logistics hub: international goods arrived here by rail, ship, and truck. The impressive Gare Maritime served as a transshipment hall where tons of goods were processed daily, while the stately Royal Warehouse served as a storage facility for valuable and controlled goods. The site was a world unto itself, with customs services, rail lines, workshops, and offices that formed the economic heart of Brussels.
Today, Tour & Taxis demonstrates how heritage and urban development can reinforce each other. The former industrial zone has been transformed into an urban district where historic buildings have been carefully renovated and given a new purpose. The Gare Maritime has now become a lively covered street full of restaurants, cafés, and shops, where major events are regularly held. The Royal Warehouse has been transformed into an elegant location for offices, design shops, and cultural activities. In addition, the charming Hôtel de la Poste, the recently built Park Lane apartments, and the green Gare Maritime Park together form a dynamic whole that shows how a former industrial zone can become a future-oriented urban space.
During a guided tour, you will embark on a fascinating journey through time and space. You will discover how the enormous halls of the Gare Maritime functioned when train carriages still rolled in and out, how the Royal Warehouse was used for customs clearance, and where the staff worked, lived, and took their breaks. You will explore the refined architectural details of the Hôtel de la Poste and gain insight into recent and future projects that are transforming Tour & Taxis into an example of sustainable urban development. Through the stories, anecdotes, and hidden places that the guide shares with you, you will experience the site in a way that you would never be able to discover on your own. After such a visit, you will not only see this iconic site with new eyes, but also the way in which cities evolve without denying their past.
Practical
Sanitary facilities are available in the building.
The building is accessible to persons with reduced mobility, provided that an adapted route is used. Please let us know in advance if your group includes participants with reduced mobility.
Reservation and guide fee. We are exempt from VAT.
