Baths of Brussels, Public bathhouse in Marolles, Belgium
The Baths of Brussels is a five-level public bathhouse and swimming pool on Reebokstraat in the Marolles, near the Vossenplein. Its flat-fronted facade of pale beige tiles has four columns of tall windows on the left and a windowless pier on the right, where dark letters read "BAINS" above "BADEN". Inside are two pools, a swimming pool and a learning pool, plus public showers.
The building was completed in 1953 by architect Maurice Van Nieuwenhuyse as part of post-war reconstruction efforts in Brussels. It now stands as a protected heritage site, representing how public infrastructure evolved during that period of urban renewal.
The building's name appears on the facade as "BAINS" above "BADEN", French and Dutch for baths. Besides two pools and a gymnastics hall, it has public showers for homeless people, a service still provided today. The pools sit in an Art Deco interior, though the exterior is modernist.
The facility sits in the heart of the Marolles neighborhood and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors should check what areas are available when they arrive, as different spaces may operate on varying schedules.
The building's design was inspired by the Bains de la Sauvenière in Liège, which architect Maurice Van Nieuwenhuyse took as a model. It was listed as a protected monument on 6 May 2010. Public baths already existed in Brussels in 1785, for example on rue de la Roulette in Anderlecht, where hot or cold baths cost half a crown.
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