Lacken

Lacken may refer to:

Laken

Laken [ˈlaːkə(n)] or Laeken (French spelling, [laˈkɛn]) is a residential suburb in north-west Brussels in Belgium. It belongs to the municipality of the City of Brussels and is identified by the Belgian postal code : B-1020. Prior to 1921 it was a separate municipality.

Buildings and key features

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace of Laken, official home of the Belgian Royal Family, is situated here. The palace was built between 1782–1784 by Charles de Wailly. It was partly destroyed by fire in 1890 and rebuilt and extended by Alphonse Balat. The French architect Charles Girault gave it its present outline in 1902. It has been the royal residence since the accession to the throne of King Leopold I in 1831. The former King Albert II and Queen Paola live in the Belvedere in the grounds of this palace, while King Philippe and Queen Mathilde live in the main palace.

Royal Greenhouses

The royal domain also contains the magnificent Royal Greenhouses of Laken, a set of dome-shaped constructions, accessible to the public only a few days a year. They were designed by Alphonse Balat, with the cooperation of the young Victor Horta.