The Ursuline Winter Garden: the Art Nouveau gem right next to Brussels

Updated June 6, 2026 by Pierre

You think you know the area around Brussels, and then you stumble upon a place like this. About thirty minutes away by car, near Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver (Wavre-Notre-Dame for those in the know, about ten kilometers from Mechelen), lies hidden a place you wouldn't suspect when passing by. From the outside, it's a large brick school complex. Inside, it's a different story. You push open a door, look up, and We stand there, mouths agape.Welcome to the Ursuline Winter Garden.

The "wow" moment

The heart of the place is this 1900 glass roof, pure Art Nouveau, Set like a jewel in the middle of an otherwise very neo-Gothic complex, the hall features slender cast-iron columns, a metal structure with floral curves, and stained glass windows absolutely everywhere. The large, semicircular glass roof lets in a light that transforms everything: climbing flowers, swallows in a golden sky, and at either end of the hall, one stained-glass window for sunrise and another for sunset. The dome, meanwhile, plays on the themes of morning, noon, and evening, a classic of Art Nouveau.

Adding to the mystery, the architect remains unknown. The master builder did a masterful job and then vanished from the records. Visitors who have spotted the place in photos over the years all agree: in person, it's even more impressive. Even on a gray day, the room is flooded with color.

Nuns who were way ahead of their time

Behind the beauty lies a story of rather audacious women. In the mid-19th century, eight Ursuline nuns left their convent in Tildonk and settled on Bosstraat to found a girls' school, at a time when girls' education was far from a given. Their idea: that a young girl should be able to learn something other than French, embroidery, and piano. The boarding school they opened, the "young ladies' boarding school," eventually gained a reputation that extended far beyond the region, attracting students from all over Europe, as well as from Australia and South America.

The winter garden, built in 1900, was their calling card: a spectacular reception hall designed to impress wealthy families who entrusted their daughters to their care. A daring gamble, but a successful one. The building even survived the First World War, the sisters having pivoted the fragile structure to slide it between two wings and protect it. Today, the site is a listed building, and one encounters a rather eclectic mix of styles: Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Empire, and Art Deco coexist along the corridors with their evocative names (Empire Corridor, Alpine Room, La Fontaine Refectory, Grand Staircase).

The detail that everyone notices: the piano gallery

If you read visitor reviews, one place comes up again and again: the series of rehearsal rooms, each with its own piano. The piano gallery is the kind of corridor that makes you imagine dozens of young girls playing together a century ago. One small but important point to note: this gallery is not included in the self-guided tour with audio guide. It can only be seen on a guided tour (more on that later). Another anecdote gleaned from the reviews: one group included two elderly ladies who had been residents there, and their recollections didn't always quite match the guide's account. The kind of moment you can't fake.

Why are we hearing about it now?

For a long time, the winter garden could only be visited in groups, by reservation, or during Heritage Days. The site closed at the end of 2022 for a major restoration project, then reopened in 2024 with a game-changing innovation: an immersive audio guide experience, finally allowing individual visitors to explore it. Hence the feeling, shared by many, of stumbling upon a well-kept secret. Management is handled by the Kempens Landschap Foundation and the non-profit organization Wintertuin, which have also received a European award for the site's accessibility.

How to visit, specifically

Tickets must be booked and paid for online in advance, by time slot. Three options are available, and the choice depends mainly on the time available and the desire to see more:

The self-guided tour with audio guide (the "experience trail") is available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12:30 PM to 15:30 PM (plus Wednesday afternoons during the Easter holidays until the end of August). Allow approximately one hour; audio guide available in French, Dutch, or English. Price: €15 for adults, €10 for residents of Sint-Katelijne-Waver, €2 for children aged 5 to 15. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

The introductory guided tour, open to individuals and families, takes place on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM (in French at 2:00 PM). Allow approximately two hours. Price: €18, €2 for children. This tour includes access to the La Fontaine refectory, the convent church, and the piano gallery. If you want to see everything, this is the one to choose.

Finally, guided group tours are available for groups of at least 15 people, from Tuesday to Friday and on weekend mornings, at €15 per person plus €60 service fee per booking.

Practical information: free parking with a few reserved spaces right next to the entrance. By public transport, take the train to Mechelen, then a bus (510 or 511) to the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver Kerk stop, 200 meters from the institute. The site is also designed for blind or visually impaired people (adapted audio guide, tactile model) and guide dogs are welcome. Good to know: closed every year from December 1st to the end of February, reopening on March 1st.

Our verdict

For a romantic outing, a family trip, or simply to enjoy a timeless escape without leaving the region, it's a real gem. You come for the glass roof, you leave with a story in your mind. And if you're hesitating between the different options, our advice is simple: take the guided weekend tour, if only for the piano gallery. It's the kind of place you want to keep to yourself, but it's so worth sharing.

Info and reservations: visitwintertuin.be