PRESS RELEASE , 20 March 2018

Carolus Festival: THE PLEASURES OF THE PALACE WITH THE FAMILY

During the Carolus Festival, young and old immerse themselves in the Renaissance period in a whole bunch of activities organised at several key sites around the capital, including the must-see Palace, the Brussels palace of Charles V.

Here is a little glimpse of the festival’s events and activities for the whole family, set to take place throughout May to September:

FAMILY DAY

On the programme: themed games and workshops, period buffet, guided tours and introduction to dance. A great chance to go back in time with family or friends and try on the clothes worn by a crossbowman, a lady of the Court or a knight.

COOKING AND TASTING

Cooking workshop: fancy trying out your culinary skills? Visitors will be invited to get their hands doughy and make delicious recipes that will take them on a journey through time and history.

Renaissance cookery workshop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sign up on the spot.

Period buffet: Renaissance cuisine offers you delicious savoury and sweet dishes to treat yourself and boost your energy between one activity and the next. A team of fine chefs will be serving visitors their period recipes in a sumptuous buffet.

Zythology workshop: Zythology is like oenology... but with beer. A great chance to discover its history, its composition, the different types, and also to taste them with discernment.

LEARNING AND DISCOVERY

Crossbow shooting: if you’re bold enough, members of The Grand Serment Royal et de Saint Georges des Arbalétriers de Bruxelles will initiate you in the use of one of the Renaissance's most dangerous weapons: the crossbow. There is also a harmless version for younger visitors.

Interactive 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!

Meet the characters of the Ommegang procession | photo shoot: Crossbowmen, halbardiers, ladies and gentlemen of the Court will welcome the whole family, and this encounter with another time will be immortalised. Replicas of period costumes and accessories will be provided.

Guided tours of the “Giants!” exhibition: This exhibition displays all the facets of these characters, biblical and legendary heroes, who are so much more imposing than mere mortals.

Tours start on the hour in French and on the half-hour in Dutch.

WAOUW treasure chests: each of these chests leads you to uncover the history of Charles V’s palace, if you can solve the challenge.

Practical information on Family Day: Date: 3 June 2017 from 10 am to 6 pm Venue: Palais du Coudenberg (underground passages under the Place Royale) Entrance via the BELvue - Mont des Arts - Place des Palais 7, 1000 Brussels Information: + 32 (0) 2 500 45 54 Charges: €5-7; under-18s free - Activities/tours included in the entrance price. Period buffet from 10 am to 4 pm (€3-€8) More information: www.coudenberg.brussels

UNDERGROUND TREASURE HUNT: THE SEARCH FOR THE TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

Little Charles V needs your help! He has forgotten the password to his treasure chest, which contains his Order of the Golden Fleece collar. Charles is looking for brave princesses and knights to help him decode the password. Are you daring enough to follow him on a quest among the ruins of the Coudenberg Palace? There’s a nice reward, too.

Each child will receive a backpack containing supplies for the tasks (a treasure map, a disguise, a puzzle, a torch, etc.). Each task provides a clue to the password that will lead them to the treasure (the famous Golden Fleece collar). The children will receive a small gift at the end of the game. Practical information: For children aged 5 to 8, accompanied by an adult. Dates: 30/06 to 02/09 (Tuesday to Sunday - closed on 21/07) Times: from 10 am to 6 pm Duration: 1 hour to 1½ hours Meeting place: Palais du Coudenberg – Place des Palais 7 – 1000 Brussels

Price: €4 per child. (Aged 5 to 8, accompanied by an adult) INFO AND BOOKINGS (required): www.coudenberg.brussels > jeu de piste souterrain [underground treasure hunt]

THE HOUSE AND THE BÉGUINAGE Guided tours and organised activities On the Heritage Days, visit the Erasmus House and the Anderlecht Béguinage in the company of seasoned guides! Kids will receive an introduction to medicinal plants and build an insect hotel. After the visit, their parents will get the chance to taste herbal infusions from the garden and try their hand at cooking vegetable pâtés or drawing bees. Practical information: Dates: 15 & 16/09 Times: from 10 am to 6 pm Price: free Venue: The Erasmus House – Rue de Formanoir 31 – 1070 Brussels.

A Renaissance weekend at the Erasmus House Immerse yourself in the Renaissance on a colourful weekend, with activities for all the family: dances and music, period costumes, demonstrations and an introduction to the trades of olden times, craft market, stories and games for young and

old, nthusiastic guides, food tastings and drinks with flavours from a lost time...

Practical information: Dates: 22 & 23/09 Times: from 12 noon to 6 pm Price: free Meeting place: The Erasmus House – Rue de Formanoir 31 – 1070 Brussels. Info on +32 (0)2 521 13 83 or www.erasmushouse.museum

Press Contacts: visit.brussels : Noémie Wibail, Press Support Coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84 [email protected] Coudenberg Palace: Maïlys Charlier Zenari, Communications Manager - +32 (0) 2 563 61 84 [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 12 April 2018

Carolus V Festival Brussels during the Renaissance

From May to September, the Carolus V Festival is a chance for Brussels to relive the spirit of the Renaissance. Among the many activities offered, the exhibitions and guided walking tours through the Capital of Europe introduce visitors to the time of Charles V, the most powerful Emperor of the 16th century.

The Carolus V programme is organised in the context of the cultural network “European Routes of Emperor Charles V”. This tourist history route is recognised by the European Council's European Institute of Cultural Routes. It includes the places that marked the reign of Charles V and the towns he passed through.

The heritage and European history of the 16th century are thus highlighted with a series of festive, cultural and family-oriented activities organised at various locations in the Brussels Capital Region. Visitors relive different memorable episodes of life in the time of Charles V, depending on the tours and walks.

From the exploration of the treasures behind the scenes of the Ommegang to the fortifications of Mediaeval Brussels, not forgetting the secrets of the Maison du Roi, here is an overview of the unmissable events and tours this year:

EXHIBITIONS

GIANTS!

Since the earliest times, men have imagined that giants exist, whether gentle or terrifying. According to folklore expert Albert Marinus, parades and processions of giants express a need to convey ideas and feelings in a visible, extraordinary way. This exhibition displays all the facets of these characters and biblical and legendary heroes, who are so much more imposing than mere mortals. It takes place in the ruins of the Coudenberg Palace, which was Charles V’s residence in Brussels. Practical information Dates: 17/05 to 02/09 Meeting point: Palais du Coudenberg (underground passages of the Place Royale – Place des Palais 7 – 1000 Brussels Price: €5-€7 Info and bookings: :www.coudenberg.brussels - +32 (0)2 500 45 54

THE ERASMUS HOUSE, a 500-year-old dwelling The Erasmus House, one of the oldest houses in Brussels (built in 1515), brings together a collection of paintings (by Holbein, Bosch, and Metsys) in a reconstructed interior of the period, a rich library with thousands of early editions, and a Philosophical Garden. Guided tours on request. Children's game circuit: Travelling with Erasmus (children aged 6 to 9 years) - On the Trail of Erasmus (10 to 12 years). Practical information: Dates: from the end of May to the end of September Times: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed on Mondays) Price: €1.25 Meeting point: The Erasmus House – Rue de Formanoir 31 – 1070 Brussels. Info: www.erasmushouse.museum

GUIDED TOURS. In the Footsteps of the Court of Charles V FR-NL-EN FR: 26/05; 7/06; 21/06 at 10.30 am NL: 12/06 at 10.30 am EN: 26/05 at 2.30 pm 05/06, 14/06, 19/06 at 10.30 am Info & bookings: [email protected] or +32 (0) 477 59 48 75 Brussels in the time of Erasmus FR 09/06, 25/08, 29/09 at 2 pm Info & bookings: +32 (0)2 521 13 83 - www.erasmushouse.museum Weekly tour : the less-known side of Charles V in Spanish – ESP From June to September every Saturday at 2.30 pm Info and bookings: [email protected] Habits and Customs of the Renaissance: Focus on the Maison du Roi – FR 03/06 at 2 pm Info and bookings: [email protected] In the footsteps of Lamoral, Count of Egmont, & Philip de Montmorency, Count of Horn – FR 03/06 at 2 pm Info & bookings: [email protected]

The Sablon and the Saint-Georges Crossbowmen - FR 17/06; 15/07; 19/08 at 2.30 pm Info and bookings: [email protected]

Anderlecht: Remembering the Béguines, Saint Guidon and Erasmus - FR 09/06 at 2 pm Info & bookings: [email protected] Behind the scenes of the Ommegang, 1 st part – FR 10/06 at 2 pm Info & bookings: [email protected] Habits and Customs of the Renaissance: Brussels, fortified town - FR 16/06 at 2 pm Info & bookings: [email protected] Charles V in Brussels - FR 01/07 at 2.30 pm Info & bookings: +32 (0) 487 60 21 31 or www.bruxellesbavard.be Behind the scenes of the Ommegang, 2nd part – FR 06/07 at 6.30 pm Info & bookings: info@itinéraires.be

For several of its tours, group tours are available on request during the entire festival (subject to guide availability) in several languages (FR, NL, EN, DE, ES), and some visits in French adapted for blind and sight-impaired visitors.

More information on the Carolus V Festival: www.carolusfestival.brussels

Press contact: Noémie Wibail, Press support Coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84 [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 18 April 2018

Carolus V Festival Talks to give history lovers a real treat...

As it does every year, between May and September, Brussels immerses itself in the Renaissance for the Carolus V Festival. A packed programme of celebratory and cultural activities focus on European Renaissance history and heritage at different iconic venues around the capital.

From May onwards, anyone interested in history will have lots of events to choose from. They will be given the opportunity to attend talks explaining the realities of that time, during which they will be able to find out more about the key events that took place during the reign of Charles V.

Dates for your diary…

From the Nobles of the Sword to the Nobles of the Robe (De la noblesse d’épée à la noblesse de robe) – FR Speaker: Roel Jacobs

Since the political events that rocked Brussels and Europe in the 16th century became a source of inspiration for social debate in the 19th century, we have seen their protagonists in black and white: the “goodies”, like the poor Count of Egmont, a victim of repression, and the “badies”, like Cardinal de Granvelle, who inspired the same repression. But the historical reality of that time is far more complex and nuanced than that. In the 16th century, a new intellectual elite, known as “Noblesse de robe” (Nobles of the Gown) began its rise, replacing the old military elite, the “Noblesse d’épée” (Nobles of the Sword). The clash between the two shaped the era.

Date: 31/05 Time: 6.30pm Place: Maison du Roi – Grand-Place – 1000 BRU Price: €6 Info and booking: www.museedelavilledebruxelles.brussels and + 32 2(0) 279 43 71

An evening of storytelling: “Tijl Uilenspiegel and the Counts of Egmont and Hornes”. Storyteller: Monique Michel - Production: Italia Gaeta - based on Charles De Coster.

Thyl Uilenspiegel? A prankster, a wind-up merchant, a joker! But also a real rebel in the face of the Almighty, who fought against oppression. When impertinence becomes courage, amidst the violence of the 16th century, in an era not a million miles away from our own world. The storyteller is inspired by the work of Charles de Coster, our great author. She has chosen a handful of juicy tales, following oral tradition, to which she has given her own personal twist. Belgitude and fantasy guaranteed!

Dates: 20/06 – 3pm & 8pm & 22/06 - 8pm Place: Grand Serment Royal et de Saint Georges des Arbalétriers de Bruxelles Price: €7, €5 for students and recipients of benefits. Info and booking: [email protected]

The Counts of Egmont and Horn and Reform in the mid-sixteenth century (Les comtes d’Egmont et de Horne et la Réforme au milieu du Seizième siècle) - FR Speaker: Olivier Van Rode

The Count of Egmont was executed on the orders of Catholic King, Philip II of Spain. This story has been told in a thousand different ways ever since, depending on your point of view: as an institutional, religious, even nationalist conflict... But there is one fundamental question that needs to be answered: what was the Count of Egmont’s role in the religious conflict of the 1560s? And what was the role of this conflict in the Count’s unenviable fate? Historian Olivier Van Rode, from Zottegem, once the fiefdom of the Count of Egmont, will explain how the religious conflict was the pretext rather than the reason for his execution.

Date: 07/06 Time: 6.30pm Place: Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles – Maison du Roi – Grand-Place – 1000 BRU Price: €6 Info (booking not essential): + 32 2(0) 279 43 71

Ancestry in the plural (L’ascendance au pluriel) - FR Speaker: Roel Jacobs

With his Civil Code, Napoleon imposed his very masculine understanding of human beings on us. But if we accept that (for the time being), it takes two to make a baby, then that baby is not the descendant of its father, but of both of its parents. And as you go back through your ancestors, the numbers quickly become staggering: four grandparents, then 8 - 16 - 32 - 64 - 128 - 256 - 512 - 1024 ancestors in just ten generations! This was how the protagonists of the main political events that rocked Brussels and Europe in the 16th century saw themselves. Which leads to a very different understanding of history.

Date: 14/06 Time: 6.30pm Place: Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles – Maison du Roi – Grand-Place – 1000 BRU Price: €6 Info (booking not essential): + 32 2(0) 279 43 71

Egmont in the 19th and 20th centuries. The changing perception of an “illustrious Belgian” (La réception mouvante d’un « Belge illustre ») - FR Speaker: Monique Weis (FNRS – ULB)

The talk will begin by talking fairly generally about how Egmont was received, his clashes and what became of him, from Goethe’s involved drama to Gallait’s famous painting. The speaker will then move on to the history of the monument to Egmont and Hornes in the Petit Sablon Square. Discussing the debates around this statue will help demonstrate how the place of these “illustrious Belgians” in the memory of and Brussels has experienced change and uncertainty. Part three will focus on the performances of Goethe’s Egmont in the in Brussels in 1958, as part of the festivities for the World Fair. She will then tackle the issue of what the near future has in store for Egmont, by looking at how the 21st century might perceive him.

Date: 21/06 Time : 6.30pm Place: Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles – Maison du Roi – Grand-Place – 1000 Bru Price: €6 Info (booking not essential): + 32 2(0) 279 43 71

Wido van Anderlecht in kanonikale en kamerijkse context - NL Speaker: Herman Loris

When Erasmus visited the Court of Charles V in Brussels, he stayed in Anderlecht, a small town a little way away from the city that had become prosperous thanks to the cult of Saint Guy, the patron saint of horned animals, whose remains can be found in a beautiful cathedral. Herman Loris presents his brand new book, offering new perspectives on the life of this astonishing saint.

Date: 21/11 Time: 7pm Price: free Place: Maison d'Érasme – Rue de Formanoir 31 – 1070 Brussels Info and booking: call +32 (0)2 521 13 83 or email www.erasmushouse.museum

Press contact: visit.brussels: Noémie Wibail, Press Support Coordinator - +32 (0) 490 49 43 84 [email protected]

COUDENBERG

AND

CAROLUS V FESTIVAL 2018

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 16th century through a festive, greedy, cultural and family programming.

For its 7th edition, Coudenberg Palace invites you to discover the old Brussels through a program combining activities to enjoy with family or friends!

Coudenberg Palace - Carolus V Festival 2018

• Exhibition « Giants ! » From 17th May to 2nd September 2018

Since time immemorial, men have imagined gigantic beings - some benevolent some, terrifying. According to the folklorist Albert Marinus, the giants of procession and pageant reflect the need to express ideas and feelings in ways which are both concrete and extraordinary. In our regions (the Low Countries), the archives show the existence of giants throughout the Low Countries in the 15th century: Goliath, the Bayard Horse (accompanied by the four Aymon sons) or Saint George fighting the Dragon.

This exhibition highlights all the facets of these characters, both biblical and legendary heroes, so much more imposing than ordinary people. It takes place in the heart of the remains of the Coudenberg Palace, which was the Brussels residence of Emperor Charles V.

Practical information :

From 17/05/18 to 02/09/18 Coudenberg Palace – Place des Palais 7 – 1000 BRUXELLES PRICE 5€-7€ www.coudenberg.brussels +32 (0)2 500 45 54

• Family Day – Coudenberg Palace Sunday 3 June 2018 from 10am to 6pm

An exciting day awaits young and old at Coudenberg, the Brussels palace of Charles V. 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 :

‹ 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. ‹ 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. ‹ 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. ‹ 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. ‹ Interactive musical discovery : the past buried in the basement of Brussels comes back to life through melodies, sounds, instruments and dances moves of the time of Charles V ! ‹ Guided tours of the exhibition "Giants !" : Visit every hour in French, every hour and a half in Dutch. ‹ WAOUW treasure chests : each of these chests allow you to discover the history of Charles V's palace by taking up a challenge. ‹ Plus a whole host of non-stop activities from 10 am to 6 pm.

Practical information : Sunday 3 June 2018 Price: €5 - €7; free for under 18s - Activities included in the entrance price - Period buffet from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (€3 - €8) Assembly point: Palais du Coudenberg – Place des Palais 7 – 1000, Brussels Info: www.coudenberg.com or + 32 (0)2 500 45 54

• Théâtre : « Amandine et le Gueux » From 15th June to 1st July 2018

A child and an old man live before our eyes a tragic page in the history of Belgium. Both represent in their own way the destiny of thousands of people who had to undergo this troubled time. Oblivion sometimes covers the details of the past with its cloak. Sometimes it would be good to come back to it, though. We could acquire a beneficial retreat in the face of current realities... Two characters: a beggar and a young girl. He is a ruined sculptor; she is the daughter of the Earl of Egmont. Everything separates them and yet they will face together dramas, united by a rare and precious friendship. The action takes place in 1565 and 1568 when the Spanish Netherlands, which extends from the north of France to Friesland, undergo a real civil war. Philip II of Spain, the Duke of Alba, the Counts of Egmont and Hornes are the emblematic figures. Brussels, like the whole country, lives in a terror that spares no one.

Practical information: From June 15 to July 1, 2018 (Friday and Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 6:30 pm) Coudenberg Palace: entrance 10 Place Royale - 1000 Brussels Price: € 15-13 - In French.

• Underground Treasure Hunt From 1st July to 2nd September 2018

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 : From 1st July to 2nd September 2018 – 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 Palace

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 .

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 15th century to the 18th century onwards, when the palace was destroyed by fire.

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.

On the 3rd 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. In the early morning, most of the palace disappeared in the flames.

In the 1770s, political will and 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.

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.

A PLACE AT THE ROYAL TABLE: a heritage in the heart of Europe

On the occasion of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the network of European Royal Residences presents A Place at the Royal Table, a programme of events dedicated to the gastronomic heritage of European courts. On 15 March, the day of the opening of the exhibition Why Do We Eat the Way We Do? in the Schloss Hof Estate (Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H - Austria), the theme of culinary traditions will be presented in each of the 19 participating royal residences in 11 countries of the European Union.

A Place at the Royal Table: a hundred events in Europe

From Portugal to Poland, from Italy to Denmark, a dense calendar of events to celebrate European heritage: exhibitions, thematic tours, educational activities, public events, workshops and seminars, re-enactments and performances, debates and tastings will be an opportunity to reflect on the history of Europe and its identity with a perspective on the future.

As part of this event, Coudenberg Palace offers various activities including the historic buffet served at the Family Day on 3rd of June 2018. As well as a virtual exhibition "A Renaissance banquet", produced in collaboration with Le Château de Boussu.

In the Renaissance, the art of the table takes a new turn and spectacular preparations are illustrated in sumptuous feasts that compete for ways to impress the guests. In our resource center, under the tag "Banquet Renaissance Exhibition", you will find a selection of objects exhumed during excavations conducted on the site of the Coudenberg Palace but also old images and texts evoking the culinary practices of the Renaissance...

Infos :

- http://www.europeanroyalresidences.eu/a-place-at-royal-table/

-https://coudenberg.brussels/fr/medias-ressources/ressources- documentaires/search?search=&tags%5B%5D=97&source_from_after=&source_from_befor e=

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.

© M. Vanhulst ©M. 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.

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 half of the 16th 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.

© M. Vanhulst ©M. 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, 1st count of Hoogstraeten, commissioned a gothic style gallery.

Press Information

• Press Day Wednesday 16th May 2018 from 11am Coudenberg Palace. Entrance : 10 place Royale, 1000 Brussels

• Interviews : ‹ Frédérique Honoré, Director Coudenberg Palace. ‹ Roel Jacobs, Consultant History for Visit Brussels . ‹ Benoit Strulus, director of "Amandine and the Gueux" (on appointment). ‹ Jean-Paul Heerbrant , Albert Marinus Center, curator of the Giants! exhibition

• Visit of the Giants exhibition!

For any request, please contact :

Maïlys Charlier Zenari In charge of press relations for Coudenberg Palace + 32 (0)2 563 61 84 [email protected]