Parc du Cinquantenaire This park was created in 1880 to host the exhibition organised to celebrate Belgian's fifty years of independence. Eight statues of women, symbolising the provinces surround it, the two Flanders being represented by a single statue. This regal expanse of greenery surrounds the Arcade, the Royal Museums of Art and History, the Royal Museum of the Army and Military History and Autoworld. Garden cities “Le Logis” and “Floréal” These vast residential areas were begun in 1912 under the direction of the architects Van der Swaelmen and Eggericx. These one-story semi-detached houses are surrounded by gardens. The streets, with rows of Japanese cherry trees are a marvellous floral spectacle in April and May, at blossom time. Ixelles ponds In the past, strings of ponds used to run along the valley of Maelbeek, around Brussels.In Ixelles remain two of those ponds. Places for picturesque walks lined with majestic trees, Art Nouveau houses and the Flagey cultural center. Nearby are the gardens of Abbaye de la Cambre (la Cambre Abbey) where a peaceful atmosphere reigns.. Parck Design Parckdesign 2008 is a call for projects for the design of urban furniture. The winners will have the opportunity to produce a prototype of their project and to have it installed in a green part of the centre of Brussels for at least 3 years. Three sites are proposed, all in the heart of Brussels: the cathedral square of la Cathédrale Saints-Michel & Gudule; the square of la Putterie; and the Jardin de l'Albertine. The Jardin du Fleuriste has had a lovely designer walkway to offersince 2006.                                     www.parckdesign.be The forêt de Soignes The Forest of Soignes plays a role of paramount importance in the life of the people of Brussels. A marvellous beech forest which in 1822 still covered 12,000 hectares. Today, alas, only a third of it remains. Gardens of the Van Buuren Museum The actual garden is made of the " Picturesque Garden ", " The Labyrinth ", and " The Garden of the Heart ". The " Picturesque Garden " was designed by Jules Buyssens, a landscape architect, in the twenties, and represents the geometrical ideas of the Art Deco. This jewel of greenery in the center of Brussels can be visited all year round. www.museumvanbuuren.com Parc Léopold A small island of tranquillity on the edge of the big sites of the European district. A landscaped, undulating park, which houses the Museum of the Institute of Natural Sciences and other scientific institutes, such as the magnificent Solvay Library, the work of Henry van de Velde. Today the library hosts cultural events. Le bois de la Cambre Covering an area of 124 hectares, this is part of the old Forest of Soignes. It was annexed to the city in 1842, and its layout conceived by the landscape architect Keilig. On Saturdays and Sundays, some routes are closed to cars, thus leaving the way free for cyclists, joggers, roller-skating enthusiasts, etc www.boisdelacambre.info Brussels Park Originally, the park belonged to the Dukes of Brabant and was known as the “warande” (warren) and was famous throughout Europe for its natural beauty, its ponds, its fountains, and its grottoes in rockwork. The first battles between the Belgian patriots and the Dutch troops took place in this park in 1830. The architect Zinner transformed the park into a garden in the French style in 1835.. Parc de la Woluwe Leopold II entrusted the French landscape architect Lainé with the task of designing this park. Work began in 1896 and lasted until 1899. After 1945, the whole park was renovated. Since 1971, the lighting of certain clumps of trees, rock gardens and ponds has given it an undeniable charm (bicycles are permitted). See also “Mellaerts Ponds” (boating).