Palace of Laeken

The Palace of Laeken is the official residence of the King of the Belgians, located in the Laeken district in the north of Brussels. The estate includes palace buildings, formal gardens, and the famous Royal Greenhouses.

The Royal Greenhouses form a major horticultural complex on the grounds, designed by Alphonse Balat and developed for King Leopold II in the late 19th century; they contain extensive glass pavilions and rare plant collections and are open to the public for a limited period each spring. The palace itself functions primarily as a private royal residence and is not generally open for public tours.

The core palace buildings and estate were created from an 18th-century château and were expanded and altered across the 19th century, notably under King Leopold II, to form the present ensemble. The grounds and greenhouses reflect late 19th-century royal patronage and horticultural ambitions.

The palace sits in Laeken, in the northern part of the Brussels-Capital Region, approximately 6 kilometres north of central Brussels and adjacent to the King Baudouin Park and other municipal green spaces.

• Residence: Serves as the official residence of the King of the Belgians and the Belgian royal family, set within extensive private grounds in Laeken.
• Public access: The Royal Greenhouses are open to the public for a limited period in spring, making them the principal public access point to the estate each year.

What to See #

• Palace building: The main palace building serving as the official residential complex for the Belgian royal family, fronted by formal lawns and a driveway.
• Royal Greenhouses: The Royal Greenhouses in the palace grounds comprise a large nineteenth-century greenhouse complex commissioned by King Leopold II and designed by architect Alphonse Balat; they are opened to the public for a few weeks each spring.
• Royal Park and gardens: The surrounding parkland and formal gardens form the royal estate and are visible from public approaches to the palace.