It’s not easy to find this monument. Deep in the forest outside Brussels, 32 young birch trees were planted in a circle in memory of the victims of two terrorist attacks in Brussels on 22 March 2016.
The memorial was created by the landscape architect Bas Smets in the middle of a clearing. The trees are equally spaced to create the impression of people standing in a circle holding hands. They surround a stone circle made of 32 blocks of polished Belgian blue limestone.
You can reach the site by a footbridge over a lake called Étang des Enfants Noyés, literally, the Lake of Drowned Children. It’s a beautiful, peaceful spot that marks a brutal day in Belgian history. Take tram 94 to Coccinelles and follow the tiny signs marked ‘Monument’.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
