PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 9 March 2017
Charles V Festival Brussels in Renaissance times Once again this year from May through September during the Charles V Festival, Brussels brings back the Renaissance spirit with its artistic and scientific innovations. On this occasion fifteenth century European history and heritage will be in the spotlight thanks to a full schedule of festive, cultural, and family activities planned for different locations throughout the Brussels-Capital Region.
The festive and historical Charles programme is incorporated into the "European routes of Emperor Charles V" network. This historical and tourist route is recognised by the Council of Europe's European Institute of Cultural Routes. It combines the places that marked the reign of Charles V and the cities through which he travelled.
This year we are commemorating the 150 th anniversary of Charles de Coster's Ulenspiegel, a masterful work of Brussels literature set in the old Netherlands at the time of Charles V and his son.
Now here is a preview of the must-see events of this edition:
Exhibition/route: Remigio Cantagallina, an Italian traveller in the Southern Netherlands More than 400 years ago, a Florentine artist named Remigio Cantagallina journeyed across Europe to present himself at the court of Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabelle in Brussels. His reasons for making this trip have been the subject of meticulous research straddling history and art history. During his 1612-1613 stay in the old Southern Netherlands, he produced a number of drawings which constitute a unique record to this very day. These small drawings have been enlarged and staged in the underground ruins of the old Coudenberg Palace. Immerse yourself in the cities of the old Netherlands and time-travel between Brussels, Temse, and Spa. These drawings belong to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium's collection, which is displaying a selection of original works especially for this occasion.
THE ERASMUS HOUSE, a 500 year-old abode The Erasmus House, one of Brussels' oldest homes (1515), brings together a collection of paintings (Holbein, Bosch, and Metsys) in a restored period interior, a rich library with thousands of old titles, and a Philosophical Garden all in one place.
A letter signed by Charles V will be on special display throughout the festival.
Treasure hunts for children: Travelling with Erasmus (ages 6 - 9) - On the Erasmus trail
(ages 10 - 12).
- Family Day (21 May 2017) On Family Day today's families will travel back in time. A day full of surprises awaits them at Coudenberg Palace. On the schedule: games and themed workshops, a period buffet, crossbow shooting, encounters with Ommegang characters, introductory dance classes, and guided tours. It's a delightful opportunity to travel back in time and learn among family and friends.
- Ommegang Week (5 - 8 July 2017) On Wednesday, 5 and Friday, 7 July, the parade held in 1549 for Charles V and his son will take to the streets of Brussels. All told, 1,400 walk-on performers will immerse you in the period atmosphere. Charles V's coach and his procession, comprised of musicians, dancers, horsemen, guards, standard-bearers, and more, will wind their way through city streets from the Parc de Bruxelles to Grand-Place, where the traditional show will round out a lovely day. A medieval village, market and jousting exhibition will animate this festival. Not forgetting, of course, the unmissable crossbow workshop that will be held in front of the Notre-Dame du Sablon church. All these activities and more will take the region back into the heart of the 16th century on 5, 6 and 7 July 2017.
Additional information is available on the Charles V Festival's mini-site: www.carolusfestival.brussels Additional information on the European cultural routes: www.itineracarolusv.eu Media contact: visit.brussels : Noémie Wibail, media support coordinator - +32 490 49 43 84 [email protected]
Brussels, 21 March 2017 FAMILY DAY AND FINE CUISINE AT COUDENBERG PALACE
Sunday 21 May 2017 from 10 AM to 6 PM as part of the Charles V Festival
Young and old alike will journey back to Renaissance times through a number of activities held at Coudenberg, the Brussels palace of Charles V. On tap: themed games and workshops, historical buffet, guided tours, and introductory dance classes. It's a great opportunity to go back in time with family and friends and step into the shoes of a crossbowman, a courtly lady, or a knight.
GET A TASTE
Historical buffet: visitors will have the chance to enjoy culinary delights between two activities thanks to sweet/savoury mixed platters inspired by Renaissance cuisine. A team of seasoned chefs will enable you to sample the recipes of that bygone era during a sumptuous buffet.
LEARN
Crossbow archery: The Grand Serment Royal and Saint George Crossbow Guild of Brussels will acquaint older visitors with the proper handling of one of the Renaissance's most dangerous weapons: the crossbow. While children will engage in a safer version of the same activity.
Cooking workshop: For those who enjoy cuisine, there's nothing better than an introduction to the culinary arts of that time. They will have free rein to try their hand at making delicious concoctions that will carry you back through time and the pages of history.
Renaissance cuisine workshop at 11 AM and 3 PM. On-site registration.
Zythology (or beerology) workshop: heard of enology? Well, zythology is the same concept except with beer instead of wine. An opportunity to discover its history, composition, and varieties but also to taste it as is fitting.
DISCOVER
Meet Ommegang's characters | photo shoot:
Crossbowmen, halberdiers, and lords and ladies of the court will welcome young and old alike. Reproductions of period costumes and accessories will be available to them in order to immortalise the event.
Guided tours of the "Remigio Cantagallina, an Italian traveller to the Southern Netherlands" route
Guided tours will be conducted throughout the day.
French language tours will begin every hour on the hour while Dutch tours will start at half past each hour. Guided tours in Spanish at 2 PM and 4 PM
Other guided tours in French: 18 June, 16 July, and 20 August at 2:00 PM Other guided tours in Dutch: 25 June, 25 July, and 27 August at 2:30 PM
HAVE FUN
Play as they did in Renaissance times : marbles, jacks...to improve your dexterity and skill
Become a court architect: what could be more original than completing your own palace model as it once existed or as it might have been? Participate in this workshop as a family to recreate the buildings comprising the Coudenberg Palace on a grand scale.
DANCE
Interactive exploration of music and dance : the past buried in the cellars of Brussels comes alive through melodies, instruments, and dances from the time of Charles V! With the participation of the Capriool ensemble, De Houtblazers, and many musicians and dancers.
PRACTICAL FAMILY DAY INFORMATION Date: Sunday, 21 May 2017 from 10 AM to 6 PM Place: Coudenberg Palace - Old Palace of Brussels (beneath Place Royale) Entrance at BELvue - Mont des Arts - Place des Palais 7, 1000 Brussels - Info: + 32 (0) 2 500 45 54 Rates: € 5 - 7; < age 18, free - Activities/tours included in the price of admission Historical buffet from 10 AM to 4 PM (€3-€8) More information: www.coudenberg.brussels
Media contact: visit.brussels : Noémie Wibail, media coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84 [email protected] Coudenberg Palace Maïlys Charlier, public relations manager - +32 (02) 563 61 84 [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 3 April 2017
Charles V Festival Take a trip back to Renaissance times with guided tours and walks From May to September 2017, the Charles V Festival will immerse Brussels in the Renaissance era. Among the many activities on offer, guided tours and walks in the European capital allow experts, amateurs, and children alike to explore the reign of Charles V, the 16 th century's most powerful emperor.
Sixteenth century European history and heritage are in the spotlight thanks to a series of festive cultural and family activities held in various places around the Brussels-Capital Region. Through tours and walks, visitors relive different pivotal moments from the time of Charles V.
From the treasures hidden away at the Ommegang to the fortifications of Medieval Brussels and the secrets of the King's House, here's a glimpse of the tours and walks offered this festival season:
- As part of Family Day, guided tours of Coudenberg Palace French-Dutch-Spanish French: 21/05 every hour on the hour Dutch: 21/05 every hour on the half-hour Spanish: 21/05 at 2 PM and 4 PM - Guided tours of the "Remigio Cantagallina" route. "He was an Italian traveller in the Southern Netherlands" French-Dutch French: 18/06, 16/07, 20/08 at 2:00 PM Dutch: 25/06, 23/07, 27/08 at 2:30 PM - Renaissance Brussels – from Ulenspiegel to Albert and Isabella French-Dutch French: 18/06, 16/07, and 20/08 at 2:30 PM Dutch: 25/06, 23/07, and 27/08 at 2:30 PM - Le Sablon and the Crossbowmen of Saint-Georges French French: 17/06, 15/07, and 19/08 at 2:30 PM - Brussels in the time of Rubens… and the Manneken-Pis French 23/07 and 27/08 at 2:30 PM - Brussels in the time of Erasmus and Luther French 24/06, 26/08, 30/09 at 2 PM - A day in the time of Albert and Isabella Dutch 27/05 from 10:30 AM to 4 PM - Renaissance habits and customs: focus on the King's House French 04/06 at 2 PM
- Anderlecht: Remembering the Beguines, Saint Guidon, and Erasmus French 10/06 at 2 PM - Behind the scenes at the Ommegang, 1st part French 11/06 at 2 PM - Renaissance habits and customs: Brussels, fortified city French 17/06 at 2 PM - Erasmus – De Coster, same fight? French - Dutch French: 4/06 at 10:30 AM Dutch: 2 PM - Behind the scenes at the Ommegang, 2nd part French 07/07 at 6:30 PM - The Vestiges of Charles V's Reign in Modern Day Brussels. EN 17/07 at 2:30 PM
For several of these tours, group tours are available upon request every day except Mondays during the festival through the end of August (subject to guide availability) in several languages (French, Dutch, English, German, and Spanish) as well as certain French- language tours adapted to the needs of blind or visually impaired visitors.
Additional information about the Charles V Festival: www.carolusfestival.brussels visit.brussels: Noémie Wibail, Press Support Coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84, [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 19 April 2017
Charles V Festival Conferences that will delight history buffs...
Once again this year from May through September during the Charles V Festival, Brussels is bringing back the Renaissance spirit with its artistic and scientific innovations. On this occasion Renaissance European history and heritage will be in the spotlight thanks to a full schedule of festive, cultural, and family activities planned for different locations throughout the Brussels-Capital Region.
Beginning in May, several conferences will be held to increase understanding of life during the period and teach attendees more about certain key events from the reign of Charles V.
Upcoming events...
Ulenspiegel, a little-known Brussels figure (FR)
Speaker: Roel Jacobs
This year we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of "The Legend of Ulenspiegel," Charles De Coster's masterpiece. But how many people realise how closely linked this anniversary is to Brussels? Even though the hero was born in Damme and his adventures are set in "the land of Flanders and beyond," Roel Jacobs shows that the work's origin is entirely related to Brussels, as is its content.
Practical information
Date: 18/05 at 6:30 PM
Price: € 6
Place: Maison du Roi - Grande Place - 1000 Brussels
Info & Reservations: www.museedelavilledebruxelles.brussels
Renaissance of an extraordinary work: Pieter Coecke van Aelst's beloved tapestry! (FR)
Speakers: Bérengère de Laveleye & Marie Claude Van Grunderbeek
Starting in the 15th century, the City of Brussels sought to breathe new life into the textile industry by transitioning to tapestry. For the design, it turned to established masters like Rogier vander Weyden, Bernard van Orley, Pierre-Paul Rubens, etc.
In the 21st century interest for their models on paper keeps growing, and for this reason the expensive restoration of this extraordinary Brussels piece fashioned by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, who would later become Pieter Bruegel's father-in-law, was able to attract funding. Volatile movements, executions, severed heads, and blood attest to the tumultuous moments of the 16th century.
Practical information
Date: 20/05 from 10:30 AM to 4 PM
Price: € 30 including refreshments (Reservation required by 5 May 2017, number of participants is limited)
Place: Maison du Roi – Musée de la Ville - Grand Place – 1000 Brussels
Info & Reservations: www.museedelavilledebruxelles.brussels or [email protected] or +32 (0)2 502 38 80
When Isabella was King: Sablon and the crossbow archers of the time of Archduchess Isabella. (FR)
Speaker: Bernard Slachmuylder – Cap Patrimoine Pour Tous
The conference will focus on crossbow archers, their contests and traditions during the time of Charles V and his granddaughter Isabella. And especially on the origin of Ommegang and the famous shot at Papegay by Archduchess Isabella at Sablon in 1615.
Practical information
Date: 30/05 at 8 PM (doors open at 7:30 PM)
Price: €6 (€5 for those over age 65, under age 25, and teachers) free for members of CAP Patrimoine and Grand Serment
Place: Impasse du Borgendael – Place Royale - 1000 Brussels
Info & Reservations: [email protected] / www.agenda.be or www.carolusfestival.be
The Manneken-Pis and his costumes. The meaning and significance of an icon (FR)
Speaker: Roel Jacobs
In February 2017 the Manneken-Pis received from the Ommegang of Brussels a replica of its oldest certified costume recently rediscovered by historians. So why is this little statue so beloved and how did it gain such an exalted place in the social imagination of Brussels' and how they see themselves collectively? And what exactly is the significance of this tradition of dressing him up? These are a few critical questions about Brussels identity which Roel Jacobs will try to answer.
Practical information
Date: 15/06 at 6:30 PM
Price: € 6
Place: Musée de la ville de Bruxelles - Grand Place - 1000 Brussels
Info & Reservations: http://www.brusselscitymuseum.brussels/fr
The Army, the City, and its Guilds after the reign of Charles V (FR)
Speaker: Raphaël Coune
Following the reign of Charles V, relations between the army, local government, and the City Guilds underwent profound changes. The presence of these military forces would change the social fabric and influence business, science, and art in the city. All this would not be without confrontation among municipal officials and representatives of a centralised power moving ever farther from Brussels and between the Guilds ensuring the city's security and these armies which were often considered "foreign."
Practical information:
Date: 28/06 at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7 PM) Price: €6 (€5 for those age 65 and over or under 25) Place: Impasse du Borgendael – Place Royale - 1000 Brussels Info & Reservations: [email protected]
Freedom according to Erasmus and Luther (NL – FR)
Speaker: Stefan Gradl
By publishing his 95 theses 500 years ago, Luther cast the Christian faith in a new light. A few years later his treatise "On the Freedom of a Christian," which seems to focus on the choices God made for humankind, a rather negative image of human beings emerges. Erasmus disagrees with this point of view. In his mind, human beings are free to make their choices, their judgement deriving from a good upbringing and intellectual training based on the classical model. Erasmus' line of thinking appears more modern than that of Luther. Is that really the case? Is Erasmus' positive vision still viable?
Practical information
Conference in Dutch, with simultaneous French translation. Date: 22/06 at 7 PM Price: free Place: Maison d’Erasme – rue du Chapitre, 31 - 1070 Brussels Info & Reservations: 02 521 13 83 or www.erasmushouse.museum
Charles V's artists (FR)
Speaker: Mr Michel Duponcelle - Patrimoine & Traditions ASBL
They burnished the legacy of the reign of Charles V who supported and encouraged them, even imposing them of community leaders sometimes. Nonetheless, we have them for the most part, though these great 16th century artists may be somewhat forgotten.
Practical information
Date: 10/07 at 2:30 PM Price: € 7.50 (€6.50 for FIS members) Place: Boulevard Baudouin 18 - 1000 Brussels Info & Reservations: +32 (0)2 223 10 00
On 25 October 1555, Charles V abdicates at the Palace of Bruxelles (FR)
Speaker: Alexandre Goderniaux
A number of historians fascinated by the event have given unique versions of it. This conferences sets out to re-establish the truth about Charles V's abdication ceremony through an essential return to contemporary written sources.
Practical information:
Date: 12/07 at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7 PM) Price: €6 (€5 for those age 65 and over or under 25) Place: Impasse du Borgendael – Place Royale 1000 Brussels Info & Reservations: [email protected]
Brussels in the time of Till Ulenspiegel FR
Speaker: Eric Demarbaix - Pages d’histoire
In "The Legend and the Glorious, Joyous, and Heroic Adventures of Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak," Charles De Coster placed his heroes at the centre of the rebellion that turned our region upside down during the reigns of Charles V and Philip II. What was Brussels like during this period of the 16th century, and which characters, events, and places can put us in contact with the novel as well as the facts of history?
Practical information:
Date: 30/08 at 8 PM (doors open at 7:30 PM) Price: €6 (€5 for those over age 65, under age 25) free for members of CAP Patrimoine and Grand Serment Place: Impasse du Borgendael – Place Royale 1000 Brussels Info & Reservations: [email protected] / www.agenda.be or www.carolusfestival.be
Media contact: visit.brussels : Noémie Wibail, media relations coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84 [email protected]
PRESSKIT MAY 2017
It’s the Renaissance’s spirit, with its artistic and scientific innovations, that can be felt in Brussels during Carolus V Festival. The event highlights the heritage and the European History of the 16 th century through a festive, greedy, cultural and family programming.
COUDENBERG AND CAROLUS V FESTIVAL 2016
Coudenberg Palace - Carolus V Festival 2017
• Exhibition/Tour: Remigio Cantagallina, an Italian traveler in the southern Netherlands
From 12 May to 27 August
Over 400 years ago, a Florentine artist by the name of Remigio Cantagallina crossed Europe to reach Brussels and the court of the archduke and duchess Albert and Isabella. The reasons that led him to make this journey have been the subject of meticulous research, somewhere between history and history of art. During his stay in the old southern Netherlands in 1612-1613, he made a number of drawings which are still considered unique representations of that era. These small drawings have been enlarged and put on display in the underground remains of the old Coudenberg Palace. Immerse yourselves in the towns of the old Netherlands, a journey in time between Brussels, Temse and Spa. These drawings are part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium collection, which is exhibiting an exclusive selection of originals.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Dates: 12 May to 27 August Tuesday to Friday: 9.30 am to 5 pm - Weekends + July and August: 10 am to 6 pm. Price: €5-€7; free for under 18s Assembly Point: Palais du Coudenberg – Place des Palais 7 – 1000, Brussels Infos: www.coudenberg.brussels or + 32 (0)2 500 45 54 The visitor’s guide is available for free on your tablet or smartphone
Guided tour in French: 3rd Sunday of the month: 18 June, 16 July and 20 August at 2.00 pm. Guided tour in Dutch: 4th Sunday of the month: 25 June, 23 July and 27 August at 2.30 pm. Price: €8-€9 (+ entry to the Coudenberg Palace) Info and Bookings: [email protected]
In collaboration with « Association du patrimoine artistique », the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and the “Direction des Monuments et Sites” of Brussels Capital-Region.
The exhibition of enlarged drawings by Remigio Cantagallina in Coudenberg Palace is part of a walk "In the steps of Remigio Cantagallina " and of a guidebook published by the Direction of Monuments and Sites of the Brussels-Capital Region.
A monograph dedicated to Remigio Cantagallina realized by the Association du Patrimoine artistique directed by Dominique Vautier and Pierre Loze is published by Snoeck for several exhibitions dedicated to Remigio Cantagallina during summer 2017.
• Theatre : Charles de Bourgogne – a one-off story from the “Palais de Bruxelles” (in French) From 12 to 28 MAY 2017
The humorous history play by Viviane Decuypere. Our kindly emperor Charles V is a busy man, with managing his empire, his dispute with Francis I and his sister's marriage wishes! Would this illustrious Brussels personality let himself be pushed around by the women in his entourage? Surely not! Could these ladies manage to restore peace to the Empire? Could Charles marry the beautiful Isabelle of Portugal and recover Burgundy? Find the answers on stage!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Dates: from 12 to 28 May (Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 6.30 pm) Price: €12-14 Assembly point: Palais du Coudenberg: entrance at 10 place Royale – 1000, Brussels Bookings: +32 (0)67 21 75 00 – [email protected]
• Family Day – Coudenberg Palace Sunday 21 MAY 2017 from 10AM to 6PM
A day of surprises awaits young and old alike at the Coudenberg, Charles V's palace in Brussels. A program to enjoy, taste, dance, initiate, discover and remember: themed games and workshops, a period buffet, an introduction to dancing and guided tours. A chance to go back in time with family or friends to live the Renaissance and even try on the clothes worn by a crossbowman, a lady of the court or a knight.
Programme of the day
‹ Period buffet: Renaissance cuisine offers you delicious savory and sweet dishes to treat yourself and boost your energy between one activity to the next. A team of fine chefs will be serving their period recipes in an ostentatious buffet. ‹ Crossbow shooting: The Grand Serment Royal and de Saint Georges des Arbalétriers de Bruxelles will initiate you in the use of one of the Renaissance's most dangerous weapon: the crossbow. There is also a safe version for kids. ‹ Cookery workshop: would you like to try your hand at cooking? Get baking and make delicious dishes that will send you on a journey through time and history. Renaissance cookery workshop from 11 am to 3 pm. Sign up on site. ‹ Meet the Ommegang’s characters procession | photo shoot: Crossbowmen, pike men, gentlemen and ladies of the court will welcome you, and you get to frame this meeting as a souvenir from another era. Replicas of period costumes and accessories will be provided for your staging. ‹ Zythology (or beerology) workshop : do you know a bit about oenology? Zythology stems from the same principle… but with beer. A chance to discover its history, its composition, the different types and also to taste them as they should be tasted.
‹ Renaissance games to test your skills : marbles, bones… It's your turn to play! ‹ Become a court architect : create your own model of the palace, as it was, or as it could have been... You decide. A leisurely family workshop to construct the buildings that make up the Palais du Coudenberg. ‹ Interactive dance and musical discovery : the past buried in the basements of Brussels comes back to life through the melodies, sounds, instruments and dances of the time of Charles V! With the participation of the Capriool, woodwind groups and a string of musicians and dancers. ‹ Guided tours of the route taken by "Remigio Cantagallina, an Italian traveler in the southern Netherlands". The tour starts on the hour in French and at half past the hour in Dutch.
Plus a whole host of non-stop activities from 10 am to 6 pm.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION Date: Sundays 21 May from 10 am to 6 pm. Price: €5 - €7; free for under 18s - Activities included in the entrance price - Period buffet from 10 am to 4 pm. (€3 - €8) Assembly point: Palais du Coudenberg – Place des Palais 7 – 1000, Brussels Info: www.coudenberg.com or + 32 (0)2 500 45 54
• Concert : Sacred and profane chants of the Renaissance Tuesday 13 June 2017
A cappella concert, exploring the sacred and profane chants of the Renaissance and of the time of Charles V in particular, by the Brussels Protestant Royal Choral Society in the underground remains of the old Brussels Palace. You will then be welcomed by the Grand Serment Royal des Arbalétriers de Saint-Georges and will get to share in the joy of this convivial guild. Doors open at 6.30 pm, concert starts at 7.30 pm – followed by Impasse du Borgendael.
USEFUL INFORMATION Date: 13 June – doors open at 6.30 pm, concert 7.30 pm. Price: €10 Assembly point: Palais du Coudenberg: entrance at 10 Place Royale – 1000, Brussels Information and bookings: [email protected] or + 32 (0)2 563 61 79
• Underground Treasure Hunt From 1 st July to 31 August 2017
©Véronique Evrard Little Charles V needs your help! He has forgotten the code to open his treasure chest. And there’s something very special in that chest: his collar of the order of the Golden Fleece. Little Charles is looking for tough knights and princesses to crack the code. Are you daring enough to join him on his quest in the underground remains of Coudenberg Palace? If you succeed, no doubt Charles will reward you!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Dates: 1 July to 31 August – Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm - closed on 21 July. Price: €4 per child. (Aged 5 to 8, accompanied by an adult) Duration: 1h to 1h and 30 mins. Assembly point: Palais du Coudenberg – Place des Palais 7 – 1000 Brussels
Info & Bookings: www.coudenberg.brussels > visits and activities > for all the family
COUDENBERG – FORMER PALACE OF BRUSSELS
To discover the old town of Brussels, it’s no so difficult: a few feet below the “Place Royale” would be sufficient enough to go back in the past centuries and explore the pomp and splendour of the Burgundian court or the one of Charles V. Let’s follow the guide! The structures and rooms underneath the “Place Royale”, give a glimpse of what used to be the main buildings of the former palace of Brussel, one of the most prestigious courts of Europe from the 15 th century to the 18 th century onwards, when the palace was destroyed by fire.
HISTORY
© Musée© de la Ville de Bruxelles/ Maison du Roi Perched on the Coudenberg and dominating the town, the Palace of Brussels was without a shadow of a doubt one of the most beautiful princely residences in the whole of Europe. It traces its roots back to the 12 th century. In the 13 th century, the Dukes of Brabant decided to give the city a central political role. In the following century, this defensive castle soon became a mecca for diplomats and a
prime site for entertaining.
On the 3 rd of February 1731, after a tiring day, the Governess of the Low Countries, Maria-Elisabeth of Austria, retires to her apartments in the palace of Brussels. Overcome with tiredness, Charles VI’s sister fails to have all the candles extinguished. The fire quickly passes through wooden panelling into adjacent rooms. Throughout the night, the palace guards struggle to extinguish the blaze with the only means at their disposal at the time: leather buckets and water spray pumps. The town militia who gather quickly to help are pushed back in the confusion. The strict respect of protocol, formally forbidding access to the governor’s private apartments, prevents the fire fighters from attacking the source of the blaze. The governess is saved by the intervention of a grenadier who dares to break down the doors of her apartments. In addition, the wind is strong and icy conditions hamper water supplies. After the drama of 1731 that left half of the palace destroyed, the Court moves to the neighbouring Nassau House, which serves as the
future palace to Charles of Lorraine. The ruins of the palace are left almost completely abandoned for forty years and are nicknamed the “Burnt Court”.
In the 1770s, political will and Bruxelles/Maison du Roi Musée© de la Ville de financial conditions met around a large-scale architectural project to redevelop the entire court district. The ruins of the old
palace as well as numerous surrounding buildings were raised to the ground in order to make way for the creation of a new square: Place Royale. The square was to be bordered with neo-classical buildings, that can still seen today. © Urbis© As for the park and the numerous
gardens of the palace, they have been replaced by a neo-classical park and the Coudenberg’s former slopes have disappeared from the urban landscape. Certain elements of the old buildings were nevertheless preserved to function as cellars and foundations for the new constructions. It is these remains that we can visit today at the Coudenberg archaeological site.
When work first started on the foundations of the palace chapel and the first part of Rue Isabelle in 1986, few could have imagined what secrets would be revealed!
The first archaeological excavation of the former Hoogstraeten House started in the same year. Almost ten years later, in 1994, surveys were undertaken by the City of Brussels in order to find the remains of the Aula Magna underneath Place Royale. The excavations lasted from 1995 to 2000.
1998 saw the revelation of the palace’s main building underneath Rue Royale. The ruins were covered with a concrete slab and were connected to the Bellevue Hotel for “Brussels 2000”. The former Hoogstraeten House was restored between 2004 and 2008 as part of the renovation work undertaken by the Brussels-Capital Region. The remains of the palace and the former Hoogstraeten House have successively been listed as monuments in the years from 1984 to 2004.
© M. Vanhulst ©M. THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
The remains of the former palace of Brussels, Hoogstraeten House, and a street all constitute the archaeological site of Coudenberg. They extend under Place Royale, Rue Royale and some of the buildings around the square.
Located underneath Rue Royale, the cellars of the main building are the oldest part of the site. They were situated under the main building, where the Prince’s apartments and audience rooms were located, and were probably used for storage purposes.
© M. Vanhulst ©M. Within the building that housed the chapel for the palace, only one level of basement survives under the BIP (Brussels Info Place). These rooms had no liturgical function and were used as cellars and kitchens. The chapel was built during the first th
half of the 16 century, during the reign of Charles V, as replacement of an older medieval chapel.
Within the big building that housed the Aula Magna , the palace’s banqueting hall, only cellars survive, which are located directly underneath Place Royale. Kitchens and storage occupied this lower level.
Today’s Rue Isabelle is underground, but it used to be open to the sky. Of medieval origins, the street ran along the Palace from Place des Bailles (Public Square in front of the Palace) to the Saint-Michael- and-Gudula Church, and followed the strong slope of the Coperbeek valley.
The Coudenberg palace was bordered with imposing private mansions owned by the nobility and court advisers, in particular the Hoogstraeten House, which was the Brussels residence for the Lalaing family. Around 1516-1517, Antoine de Lalaing, 1 st count of Hoogstraeten, commissioned a gothic style gallery.
© M. Vanhulst ©M. THE MUSEUM
The Coudenberg Museum is located within the remains of the former Hoogstraeten House. All of the archaeological objects on display were discovered during the excavations done on the Coudenberg site throughout the last 25 years.
Press information
• Press day Tuesday 11 MAY 2017 from 11 AM Coudenberg Palace. Entrance : 10 place Royale, 1000 Brussels • Interviews : ‹ Frédérique Honoré , Director Coudenberg Palace. ‹ Roel Jacobs, Consultant History for Visit Brussels. ‹ Didier Milis, In charge of the Theatre project « Charles de Bourgogne - une histoire au palais de Bruxelles, une fois! », a creation of « Théâtre de l’Escapade ». ‹ Laurent Fobelets, chief assistant of the « Chorale royale protestante de Bruxelles ».
In the context of the Exhibition/Tour Remigio Cantagallina :
‹ Samir Al-Haddad , in charge of the press relations for the Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. ‹ Pierre Loze , co-auteur of the book published by Snoeck. ‹ Marc Meganck , historian – « Direction des Monuments et Sites », Brussels Capital-Region. • Press visit of the Exhibition/Tour Remigio Cantagallina on demand the 11 th of May: ‹ Stefaan Hautekeete (curator drawing, Old Art Department of Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium). ‹ Marc Meganck (historian - Direction des Monuments et Sites, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale). • Erasmus House : ‹ Ann Arend, Curator • Ommegang : ‹ Paul Le Grand , Président of the Ommegang Brussels Event • the King's House: ‹ Marie-Claude Van Grunderbeek, art historian • Itinéraires SH : ‹ Sophie Le Grand, Manager
• The Grand Serment Royal & de Saint Georges des Arbalétriers de Bruxelles : ‹ Michel Duponcelle
For any request please get in touch with:
Maïlys Charlier In charge of press relations for Coudenberg Palace + 32 (0)2 563 61 84 [email protected]