Art nouveau in Saint-Gilles

Some of the most significant Art Nouveau buildings in the city are located in Saint-Gilles. Many facades are decorated with wrought-ironwork, stained-glass windows, sgraffiti and ornamental woodwork, boosting both the attractiveness of the houses and the social standing of the house-owners. Architects including Ernest Blérot, Paul Hamesse, Armand Van Waesberghe and Paul Hankar embarked on a frenzy of creativity as they competed for clients.