Belgium’s Constitutional Court on Thursday annulled a Brussels ordinance that allowed authorities to require the occasional opening to the public of exceptional UNESCO-listed properties, such as the Stoclet Palace.
The ordinance, adopted in April 2024, aimed to grant the Government of Brussels the power to mandate public access to certain heritage sites. It followed a challenge from the company that owns the Stoclet Palace, a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture.
In its judgment, the court recognised the legitimacy of the ordinance’s objective but criticised it for failing to sufficiently safeguard property rights and the owner’s privacy.
In practice, the ordinance exclusively targeted the Stoclet Palace, as all other Brussels sites on the UNESCO heritage list are already accessible to the public.
The Stoclet family has long opposed opening their landmark property, located on Avenue de Tervuren in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, citing concerns over the building’s fragility and risks of deterioration.
The ordinance had proposed allowing public visits for up to fifteen days per year, with all costs covered by the Brussels Region.
