On the slope of the Woluwe Valley, Sint-Stevens-Woluwe brings together a clearly defined landscape, several green spaces and a long local history. Concrete landmarks help you find your bearings: the Woluwe river, Woluwedal Park in the valley, named walking routes and the parish church of Sint-Stephanus. This makes it possible to weigh nature and history side by side when choosing a destination.
Slope and river course
The village lies on a slope in the Woluwe Valley, within the loess landscape. The Woluwe, a tributary of the Senne, runs through Sint-Stevens-Woluwe from south to north or northeast. The river and the park are distinct points of reference: the Woluwe is the river that flows through the area, while Woluwedal Park is a 5.5-hectare valley. The slope, river course and valley offer three different geographical landmarks for understanding the character of the place.
Green spaces with different features
Woluwedal Park includes wetlands, woodland and space for recreation. The park also contains 1.3 hectares of young woodland, benches and natural play elements. Wetlands and trees shape its landscape, while the benches and play elements provide places to relax and play. Liekendael Park has a different focus: it occupies the preserved 60-are section of the former Borcht estate and was officially inaugurated as a public park in 1988. In April 2025, the “Cliff rider” play structure was installed there. If the structure is important to your plans, check its condition on site.
Building history and early records
The parish church of Sint-Stephanus adds its own architectural history. The Neo-Gothic church was built between 1876 and 1879 to replace an older church. Neo-Gothic describes the building’s style; the dates place it in the late 19th century. The written history of the village goes back much further: the first written record of Sint-Stevens-Woluwe dates from the 11th century and refers to conditions in the 10th century. The date of the record and the period it describes are therefore not the same: the record postdates the period to which it refers.
Walking routes with specific landmarks
Walkers can use several different planning points. The Weulewandeling starts at Hendrik Thumasplein and is 4.7 kilometres long. The Zaventem walking network, with 13 routes, provides access to the insect park in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe via paths for slow traffic. These run through village centres, along stream valleys and across agricultural areas. The Woluwepad takes walkers along Leuvensesteenweg towards Julien Trekkerstraat. The routes thus offer different ways to find your bearings: the Weulewandeling has a stated length and starting point, while the Woluwepad indicates direction through street names. The network leading to the insect park, on the other hand, highlights access through landscapes such as village centres, stream valleys and agricultural areas. Depending on whether route length, direction or landscape is most important to your choice, these details can help answer different planning questions.
Discover more destinations: Sterrebeek, Nossegem
Go to the main travel overview: Zaventem.
