Stoclet Palace

The Stoclet Palace (French: Palais Stoclet [palɛ stɔklɛ]; Dutch: Stocletpaleis [stɔˈklɛːpaːˌlɛis]), also known as the Stoclet House, is a historic mansion in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, a municipality of Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by the Austrian-Moravian architect Josef Hoffmann for the Belgian financier Adolphe Stoclet, and built between 1905 and 1911, in the Vienna Secession style. The residence is described as one of the 20th century's most refined and luxurious private houses, and is a visible turning point from historical styles to modern architecture. It is also a prototype of the Art Deco style, featuring geometric volumes, symmetry, straight lines, concrete covered with marble plaques, finely-sculpted ornament, and lavish interiors, including mosaic friezes by Gustav Klimt. The Stoclet Palace is still owned by the Stoclet family and is not open to visitors. Until recently, no outsider, not even experts helping with restoration, were allowed in. The building has received protected status by the Monuments and Sites Directorate of the Brussels-Capital Region, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. The mansion is located at 279–281, avenue de Tervueren/Tervurenlaan, bordering the Square Léopold II/Leopold II-plein.