The Royal Palace opens its doors this summer
From the 22nd of July until the 2nd of September, the Royal Palace in Brussels will open its doors to young and old. Built on the site of the former Palace of the Dukes of Brabant, the Palace is one of the architectural gems locals and tourists alike ought to visit during the summer. Although it is not used by the Royal Family as a residence – a role reserved for the Royal Palace of Laeken – it is the place where the King grants audiences and deals with affairs of state. It houses the services of the Grand Marshal of the Court, the King’s Head of Cabinet, the offices of the King and the Queen, among others.
In 1731, during the Habsburg-Netherlands period, the building was destroyed by fire and the whole area, including present day Place Royal, remained in ruins for a number of years. In 1820, under the reign of William I of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Palace was rebuilt. Architect Tilman-Francois Suys designed the neoclassical facade and a long balcony with an iron balustrade on the first floor. King Leopold II decided to reshape the Palace’s appearance once again in 1904, when it finally acquired its current Louis XIV style.
This year the main exhibition’s theme will be entitled: Wonder. In collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, the ten Federal Scientific Bureaus, the National Geographical Institute, the War Heritage Institute, and the Belgian Science Policy Office, the exhibition offers the public a unique display of art and science. The art pieces and research material that will be present in the exhibition conform an integral part of the country’s rich cultural and scientific heritage.
Additionally, the Flemish Center for Science and Technology, Technopolis, will set up a second exhibition called: Pure – Science in its Purest State. The aim of the exhibition will be to explore certain basic aspects of physics in the natural world.
The King Baldwin Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Dynasty And Cultural Heritage Association, will put together a third exhibition called: The Royal Palace, Where History is Written. Its goal will be to show visitors all the important events that have taken place, and continue to take place, in the Royal Palace in Brussels.
Good to know:
- Entrance to the Palace is free, from Tuesday to Sunday.
