One of the most beautiful houses in the country, the iconic Saint-Cyr house in Square Ambiorix in Brussels, has been put up for sale by its owners for €1.9 million.
The building is an example of the Belgian capital’s renowned Art Nouveau heritage. This art movement, which became popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has been honoured by Brussels authorities in recent years, with the city staking a claim as the capital of Art Nouveau.
Now, one these emblematic town houses has made a surprise appearance on the property market, with the sale first spotted and reported by RTBF. It was bought by the current owners 12 years ago. Due to major renovation work, they have only lived inside it for six years.
Before that, the house had been unoccupied since 2002, and was starting to decay, motivating the present owners to buy it. The sale is being handled by specialists Christie's International Real Estate.
The Saint-Cyr house was built in 1903 by Gustave Strauven, who was a pupil of the Belgian architectural master, Victor Horta. It is his most celebrated work, and was built to be the private residence of the painter George Leonard de Saint-Cyr.
Art Nouveau gem Saint-Cyr house in Square Ambiorix. Credit: Christie's International Real Estate
It is only four metres wide, but rises in height thanks to its ornate facade which interplays lines, curves and other geometric figures with Art Nouveau-style flowers bouquets made of wrought iron, wood and and stones.
According to Christie's Real Estate Belgium, the seller’s restoration has given the house a new lease of life. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two kitchens.
The €1.9 million price tag was set due to the convenience value, rather than price per square metre.
"The Saint-Cyr house combines an architectural heritage with contemporary comfort. It's a real house museum, but habitable, which also has a PEB (energy performance certificate) D. It's quite incredible today for this type of housing," said Jean-Marc Delcroix, managing partners at Christie's Real Estate Belgium, speaking on behalf of the owner, to RTBF.
The famous Saint-Cyr house in 2007 and prior to the restoration. Credit: Belga
The house has been listed since 1988, which brings its own constraints as any work must be approved by the Brussels Heritage Administration and the Royal Commission on Monuments and Sites. However, Delcroix says that the next buyers will not need to renovate for "another 15 years".
There are reportedly already two interested buyers, both of whom are said to be fans of Art Nouveau.
It is also hoped that the future occupant will accept the opening of their personal property to the public several times a year - particularly for the BANAD festival, which celebrates Brussels’ Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage.
