A new map allows Brussels residents to explore the city's penal system and its implications for society.
The Research and Urban Action Workshop (ARAU) and UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels launched the "Brussels in Prisons" map route on Monday. The initiative offers a unique historical perspective and invites citizens to ponder the role of justice in the city. It also questions the land management of heritage facing numerous challenges.
Issues such as dilapidation, overpopulation, outdated justice concepts and site conversion are addressed throughout the route.
From Saint-Gilles to Haren
The tour brochure, designed by criminology, sociology and urban planning researchers, first takes visitors to the imposing and austere Saint-Gilles prison. Originally dubbed a "modern prison", this neo-Tudor structure opened in 1884 and spans 6.4 hectares in the city centre. Its star-shaped "panopticon" layout reflects a justice concept based on constant surveillance of inmates, allowing guards in a central tower to monitor prisoners' every move.
The tour also addresses current concerns with the Haren prison, inaugurated in 2022 to replace Saint-Gilles. Despite its planned closure, Saint-Gilles remains operational and Haren has faced enormous criticism for structural issues and human rights abuses.
Haren prison. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
Authorities described Haren as a "penitentiary village" housing 1,035 inmates in multiple living units. However, associations criticise its location, which worsens inmate isolation by complicating access for families, lawyers and support services.
There are still at least 900 inmates residing in Saint-Gilles despite widespread awareness of poor living conditions.
The future of Forest
Forest prison walls. Credit: Ugo Realfonzo / The Brussels Times
Behind Saint-Gilles, another significant site in Brussels' penal history is the Forest prison, showcasing neo-Flemish Renaissance brick façades. Opened in 1910, it housed a women's wing managed by nuns, a penitentiary laboratory and a psychiatric wing.
As the Forest detention house is now concentrated on the Berkendael site, opened in 1993, the building's future is a pressing issue. ARAU stresses the regional authority's pivotal role in managing these sites to prevent them from falling into private developers' hands. The non-profit organisation 9m², a project partner, advocates transforming the disused buildings into a multidisciplinary cultural and civic space to raise public awareness about incarceration and penal policies.
The explanatory brochure and map for "Brussels in Prisons" are available from ARAU, with public tours commencing in 2026.
