At the turn of the 19th and 20th century, Brussels went through a period of unrivalled effervescence. The city was beautified under the impetus of King Leopold II, new districts were divided into plots and turned into neighbourhoods in formerly suburban municipalities such as Ixelles, Schaerbeek or Saint-Gilles, the boundaries of which tend to merge with those of Brussel. Naturally, the middle class, merchants and artists opted to have their houses built in the style in vogue: Art Nouveau.