Le Grand Veneur, Art Deco hotel-restaurant in Keerbergen, Belgium
Le Grand Veneur is a white Art Deco building in Keerbergen, Belgium, featuring geometric shapes and decorative motifs typical of the style. It was originally built as a hotel and restaurant with tennis courts, and later converted into apartments while keeping its original 1930s facade.
The building opened in 1936 as a hotel and restaurant, quickly becoming a gathering place for well-off visitors from the region. During World War II, between 1944 and 1945, it was used as a military command center coordinating the defense of the port of Antwerp against German attacks.
The name refers to a huntsman depicted in a large mural on the facade, linking the building to the rural hunting traditions of the Keerbergen area. This imagery connected the former hotel to local identity at a time when hunting was a central part of social life in the region.
The building stands in central Keerbergen and is easy to reach on foot from the village center. The Art Deco facade is clearly visible from the street, so a short stop outside is enough to take in the architectural details.
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium visited during the war and signed the guestbook in March 1945, leaving a personal record of her presence. A separate hut was also built on the grounds specially for the King of Rwanda, pointing to the building's role well beyond its local context.
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