Museums of the Far East, Oriental art museum complex in Laeken, Belgium
The Museums of the Far East consist of three separate buildings on a royal estate: the Chinese Pavilion, the Japanese Tower, and the Museum of Japanese Art. These structures hold collections of Asian art and objects representing different traditions and periods.
King Leopold II commissioned architect Alexandre Marcel in the early 1900s to design these Asian-inspired buildings, following the influence of the Paris Exposition. The complex was created as an expression of royal interest in Asian art and culture.
The Museum of Japanese Art displays works from the Edo period in a converted carriage house, with ceramics, textiles, and traditional garments that show how artisans created beauty for daily life.
The museum site is located near Stuyvenbergh metro station on line 6, making it easy to find by public transport. Currently the buildings remain closed due to ongoing structural maintenance and renovation work.
The Japanese Tower has six interior levels beneath its five roofs, which does not match the five levels of a Buddhist pagoda. It was assembled without nails using traditional Japanese techniques, and most of its carved wooden doors, panels and gilded copper plaques were made by craftsmen in Yokohama.
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