Guided tour – Pavilion of Human Passions

In the Parc du Cinquantenaire stands a small building with the appearance of a Greek temple. For the young Victor Horta, this pavilion was his first public commission. The design, which incorporates Greek elements, also shows the early signs of Art Nouveau, visible in the details. Inside, it houses the monumental relief The Human Passions by Jef Lambeaux. This impressive artwork (11 metres long and 6 metres high) in Carrara marble depicts the pleasures and sorrows of humanity. Since 1898, Victor Horta's neoclassical temple and Jef Lambeaux's relief have been inextricably linked. The tense relationship between the two artists, the sensually winding nude figures, and the building, often closed due to its precarious condition, have all contributed to the story, 'scandal', and mystery surrounding the pavilion. Following an extensive restoration in 2019, the pavilion regained its initial grandeur.