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Located in the heart of Braine-l’Alleud, the Church of Saint-Étienne occupies a special place in the history of the Battle of Waterloo.
On 18 June 1815, while fighting raged on the battlefield, the village served as a rear base for the Allied troops. The church was transformed into a makeshift hospital, taking in many wounded British, Dutch and Prussian soldiers. The inhabitants actively participated in caring for them, in precarious and often heroic conditions.
The building, which dates back to medieval times, still bears traces of those tragic hours.
Restored over the centuries, it remains a place of remembrance, recalling the crucial role played by Braine-l’Alleud in the outcome of the Belgian campaign.
