Chapel of St. Juliana

The Chapel of St. Juliana is a small Neo-Gothic chapel standing on top of the Saint-Josse mound, in the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode — one of the smallest and most densely populated municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region. Despite its modest size, the chapel ranks among the more notable religious landmarks of this part of the city and is protected as part of Brussels' architectural heritage.

Who designed the chapel?

The chapel was built based on plans dating from 1886, drawn up by architect Joris Helleputte, one of the leading figures of Belgian Neo-Gothic architecture at the turn of the 20th century. Helleputte was known for designing churches and religious buildings that combined the austerity of Gothic form with rich decorative detail, a quality clearly visible here in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.

What architectural style does the building represent?

The chapel has a single-nave layout, built of brick and blue stone — a combination typical of Belgian religious architecture of the period. Its Neo-Gothic decor stands out for its remarkable integrity and consistency, a rarity among comparable buildings, many of which underwent later alterations that blurred their original interior character.

The design clearly reflects the influence of Jean-Baptiste Bethune, an architect and decorator from Kortrijk, who helped shape a contemporary reinterpretation of Gothic architecture at the time. Bethune's approach played a major role in steering the direction of Belgian Neo-Gothic design in the second half of the 19th century.

What can be seen inside the chapel?

The interior has preserved a rich decorative program. The walls are covered with stencil paintings — multi-coloured patterns imitating red brick and white stone facing, complemented by motifs of pleated drapery. Imposing figurative paintings also survive on plaster, masonry and canvas.

In the choir, slender polished blue stone columns, adorned with gilding, support the ribs of the vaults. The main altar is made of black, red and green Mazy marble — a stone quarried in Belgium and widely used in the country's religious architecture. Its colour palette harmonises with the polychrome floor tiling and the Neo-Gothic furnishings, most likely created under Helleputte's own supervision.

Why is it worth visiting?

The Chapel of St. Juliana shows how a small, local place of worship can preserve almost its entire original late-19th-century decor intact. For anyone interested in Neo-Gothic architecture and the decorative craftsmanship of the period, it offers a close look at stencil-painting technique and woodcarving detail rarely found in such a coherent, unified state. Its hilltop location at the heart of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode also makes it a local landmark in a municipality otherwise known for its dense urban fabric.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Chapel of St. Juliana located? It stands on top of the Saint-Josse mound, in the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, part of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Who designed the chapel? Architect Joris Helleputte, based on plans dating from 1886.

In what style was the building constructed? In the Neo-Gothic style, built of brick and blue stone, influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste Bethune.

What are the highlights of the interior? Stencil wall paintings, gilded blue stone columns, and an altar made of Mazy marble.