Woluwe-Saint-Lambert cemetery

Woluwe-Saint-Lambert cemetery is the burial ground of the Brussels municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, yet it physically sits outside the municipality's own borders — on Lange Eikstraat in neighboring Wezembeek-Oppem, in Flemish Brabant. This administrative quirk traces back to a simple problem: the municipality eventually ran out of space for burials within its own territory.

Why is the cemetery located in a different municipality?

The answer lies in how the site's history unfolded. The current cemetery replaced an older one — the former Woluwe-Saint-Lambert cemetery, which still exists today on avenue du Dernier Repos, within the municipality itself. Once that older cemetery began running out of room, local authorities decided to acquire land for a new cemetery beyond municipal boundaries. The land was purchased through expropriation for reasons of public utility in August 1961, for the sum of 5,043,200 Belgian francs — a rate of 100 francs per square meter — from the heirs of the widow of Paul Lippens-Orban. The municipality gained use of the land starting March 1, 1962, which places the founding of the present-day cemetery at the start of the 1960s.

What can visitors find at the cemetery?

Since opening, the cemetery has served residents of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert as their primary burial ground, taking over from the overcrowded old cemetery. Although the new site is relatively young by the standards of European cemeteries, it continues a tradition of carefully crafted headstones inherited from the older part of the municipality's funerary heritage. Among the graves connected to Woluwe-Saint-Lambert's cemeteries — both old and new — a number have been recorded for the quality of their sculptural decoration, including elements cast in bronze. Ornate grave surrounds, sculpted details, and decorative metalwork of this kind are a recurring feature of Brussels-area cemeteries from the turn of the 20th century, and that tradition carried over, to some extent, into the newer burial ground as well.

How does it differ from the old Woluwe-Saint-Lambert cemetery?

It's worth distinguishing between two sites that share a similar name. The old cemetery on avenue du Dernier Repos, listed in the region's architectural heritage inventory, today functions primarily as a site of historical and artistic value — several notable figures from local history are buried there, and its layout and headstones document the evolution of funerary art across the decades. The new cemetery in Wezembeek-Oppem, by contrast, functions as an active burial ground — this is where present-day residents of the municipality are laid to rest, even though it formally lies within a neighboring administrative unit.

Frequently asked questions

Is Woluwe-Saint-Lambert cemetery open to visitors? As a municipal cemetery, it is publicly accessible during standard opening hours, similar to other cemeteries across the Brussels region.

Why did the municipality choose to buy land outside its own borders? The direct cause was a lack of space at the existing old cemetery on avenue du Dernier Repos — the solution was expropriating neighboring land in Wezembeek-Oppem in 1961.

Are there any historic graves at the cemetery? Yes, among the graves associated with Woluwe-Saint-Lambert's cemeteries, several have been identified for the quality of their sculptural work, including bronze detailing — though the most notable examples of older funerary art are chiefly linked to the old cemetery on avenue du Dernier Repos.

How do you get there? The cemetery is located on Lange Eikstraat in Wezembeek-Oppem, directly adjacent to the built-up area of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, making it easily accessible for residents of both municipalities.