The location is immediately adjacent to Laeken and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and about 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) west from the city's Northern Quarter business district.

Though the site was long disused following its loss of importance as a transshipment and customs hub, it has been partially regenerated, and is now used for shops, offices, eateries, as well as for large cultural events, which have included Couleur Café Festival, the Brussels Design Market, BRAFA Art Fair [fr], Art Brussels, The Color Run Belgium and Salon du Chocolat.

Over the long history of the swampy lands that originally constituted the site, certain parcels belonged to the Thurn und Taxis (or Tassis), a German noble family famed for thieir multinational post and package business activities throughout Europe.

The imperial postal service linked the wealthy Low Countries to the Spanish court, and served the Holy Roman Empire and the rest of Europe.

The Willebroek Canal, which had originally been constructed in the 1550s and 1560s, took on increased importance in Belgium's global trade over the course of the 1800s, as it connects Brussels to the Scheldt River and ultimately the North Sea.

Construction of the Tour & Taxis industrial complex, spread over 37 ha (91 acres) of land, officially began on 22 July 1900, with King Leopold II present for the inaugural festivities.

Frédéric Bruneel served as the main engineer for the project, while Ernest Van Humbeeck [fr], Constant Bosmans and Henri Vandeveld worked as architects.

The expansive 40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft) steel and glass structure was designed to efficiently receive goods by land, water and rail.

According to La Fonderie, "construction of the complex and the port resulted in the development of the surrounding area, where life soon revolved around the packaging, storage, sale and transportation of different cargoes...

[7][8] Project T&T, a joint venture among three real estate development companies—Extensa (Ackermans & van Haaren), RB Management, and IRET development—purchased the site in 2001.

The original train track running through the bonded warehouse was replaced with an inner walkway lined by shops, restaurants such as Le Pain Quotidien, bars, a spa, and a childcare centre.

[13] The former Hôtel des Douanes customs building is utilised as temporary office space, and is currently occupied by the Belgian branch of French public relations firm Publicis Groupe.

According to The Guardian, "Belgian citizens were given the chance to name 28 streets, alleys, squares and walkways that make up the former industrial zone of Tour & Taxis.

The final names were chosen by a jury comprising city officials, local heritage experts and property developer Extensa.

"[27] Ceci n'est pas une rue ("This is not a street") was one choice, a reference to the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte's painting The Treachery of Images.

[28] The late Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman, known for the cult classic Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, and Belgium's first female doctor, Isala Van Diest, each had a street named in their honour.

[31][32] Early in 2020, the new production site and taproom of Brasserie de la Senne opened its doors at Tour & Taxis, on the Drève Anna Boch/Anna Bochdreef.