After almost 2 years of closures of sections of tram route 44, the route that links the Montgomery metro station with the Flemish Brabant municipality of Tervuren reopened in mid-June. The closures were to allow work to modernise the infrastructure along the route that is without doubt the most picturesque on the whole of the Brussels public transport company MIVB’s network.
Work to modernise the infrastructure on tram route 44 has meant that from August 2023 until mid-June this year sections of the route were closed and a replacement bus service was in operation.
The Brussels public transport company MIVB reports that 7km of track have been renewed. The overhead lines have completely replaced and several tram stops along the route have been refurbished.
The refurbishment of the “Drie Kleuren,” “Oudergem-Bos,” and “Ravenstein” stops now almost complete, with the final work to be carried out by the end of August. The popularity of the route among tourists and commuters alike means the MIVB plans to deploy longer trams on the route from next summer. Currently older PCC trams are used on route 44 (and also on route 39) as these are the only model of tram in MIVB’s fleet that are able to access the underground terminus stop at Montgomery as the tunnel is too narrow to accommodate its more modern trams.
Tram 44 takes passengers from the busy Montgomery metro station along the elegant Teruverenlaan through some of the capital’s most well-healed areas and via the Sonien Forest to the pleasant Flemish Brabant municipality of Tervuren where the Africa Museum is located. En route there are a number of interesting places to see.
The majestic Tervurenlaan is now an important transport route into Brussels from the east. It was built at the end of the 19th century to connect two important venues of the 1897 World's Fair: the Jubelpark and the Tervuren Estate. With the construction of the Tervurenlaan speeded up development of the area along and adjacent to it.
Buildings such as the Stoclet Palace villa (photo below) were built as were many other magnificent buildings that some of which house various embassies. The original starting point for route 44 was the Jubelpark that opened in 1880 to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. The Jubelpark is home to several museums including Royal Museums of Art and History, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, and the Autoworld motor museum.
The park is also the venue for various events, such as the start and finish of the Brussels 20 km race and the fireworks display on Belgium’s national holiday.
At the turn of the last century, Belgian banker and art collector Adolphe Stoclet commissioned the Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann to build his city villa on Tervurenlaan in Brussels. He gave Jozef Hoffmann free rein with regard to the design. The result is a true work of art. Built between 1906 and 1911 the exterior façade is entirely clad in marble. The house also has a tower featuring bronze statues. The wall friezes in the dining room were created by Gustav Klimt.
After the death of Anny Stoclet, the daughter-in-law of Adolphe Stoclet, in 2002, the villa stood empty. The house is still privately owned by the Stoclet family and is therefore not open to the public. The has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009.
Nearby is the Bibliotheca Wittockiana, a library and museum that was opened by passionate book lover. It is the life's work of bibliophile industrialist Michel Wittock. The library evolves gradually into a museum of book art and bookbinding. The collection includes priceless exhibits from the 16th century such as , an original edition of the renowned encyclopedia by Diderot and d'Alembert.
Woluwe Park is a 70-hectare park consisting of English-style gardens with large water features, gently rolling valleys and hills, rocks, and waterfalls. It is one of the most beautiful parks in Brussels.
The Brussels Tram Museum has an impressive collection of trams and other vehicles that have been used on the streets of the Belgian capital over the past centuries.
These also included horse-drawn carriages. The museum regularly organises trips on some of its exhibits, both trams and historic buses.
The former Rood Kloster monastery complex (Oudergem-Woud stop), is located not far from Tervurenlaan. A short walk of around 1km through a section of the Sonian Forest via the Eikenweg to you there. Today Rood Klooster houses an arts centre and an information bureau about the Sonian Forest.
A little further on, tram 44 enters the Flemish Brabant municipality of Tervuren. The route’s terminus is just a stone’s throw away from the Africa Museum. In addition to the museum Tervuren has a beautiful park, a cultural centre, a several places to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat.