Located in Brussels' city section of Haren and adjacent municipality of Evere, it was established by the German Empire in 1914 and lasted until the early 1950s when it was closed.

Meanwhile it had been replaced by nearby Melsbroek airfield that Nazi Germany had established in World War II, which developed into the current Brussels Airport.

The former grounds of Haren-Evere airfield were redeveloped as part of the expanding Brussels urban area; some buildings remain in use as facilities of the Belgian military.

After the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940, the Luftwaffe expanded the airfield, by building a new hangar (VIII) and an 820m long concrete runway (09-27).

Due to the encroaching urban area of Brussels, the Haren-Evere airfield began shutting down in the late 1940s and airport development focused on its twin airfield nearby, Melsbroek (which would eventually develop into the current Brussels Airport), although repair services of Sabena and the Belgian Air Force would remain in Haren-Evere until the early 1950s, which is when all aircraft handling activities ceased.

To the south of that, across the expressway Leopold III Boulevard, another military domain, called Queen Elisabeth Quarter, was set up, hosting the headquarters of the Belgian Army command.

In 2002, the Belgian Government offered much of King Albert Barracks to NATO, for relocation and building of a new headquarters complex at Haren (Brussels).